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Computerisation in medical profession should be compulsory

It refers Odisha High Court on 13.08.2020 advising doctors to write legible prescriptions preferably in capital letters and directing the government to issue a circular in this regard. Rather it should be made mandatory nation-wide for new-age medical practitioners to issue prescriptions direct from the computer after storing medical history of patients in their computers. Many medical practitioners especially in lower-income localities give their own-prepared medicinal syrups and powder-capsules without letting patients know about the medicines. In emergency-era of 1975-1977, such unhealthy practice was effectively checked by making all medical practitioners to compulsorily maintain record of each patient visiting them and also binding them to compulsorily give a copy of prescription of prescribed medicines even though given by the medical practitioner. Medical discipline should be restored in larger public interest. However old-aged practitioners not aware of computer-technology may be exempted from compulsory issue of computerised medical-prescriptions. System will enable practitioners sending medical-alerts like about banned medicines through e-mail to their regular patients.

 

It should be made mandatory for all pathological laboratories throughout the country to assign a customer-number to everyone going for medical-tests there. Personal data-record including contact-details and all other available information, if any, like blood-group, medical-insurance, treating physician-surgeon etc of customers should also then be registered in computer data-base. System will enable pathological laboratories to maintain past medical history of patients on computers. System will add to regular clientele of pathological laboratories, which can offer membership-discounts for their regular customers and other business-promotional activities.

 

Union Health Ministry should develop simple software for doctors and pathological laboratories on above suggested lines to be made available at economical price to all concerned.

 

SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL

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