Bad Handwriting Could Cost a Doctor His License

I admit that I don’t have very good handwriting. My signature is no better, and often leads people to ask if I am a doctor. Because it is commonly known that doctors don’t excel at handwriting skills. Thankfully, I rarely hand-write anything anymore. With computers, I can write quickly while still producing a result that is easy to read.

One benefit of an EHR solution is that we don’t have to worry about deciphering handwritting! But for one Nevada doctor, poor penmanship may lead to the loss of his medical license!

Read this story in the Review Journal for more information or this excerpt of the situation below:

The Nevada State Medical Board has formally threatened to revoke the medical license of Dr. James Gabroy, a 69-year-old Henderson internist who has never had malpractice or professional incompetence problems, nor has he ever had sexual misconduct, patient abandonment or fraudulent billing issues.

why is the board taking action against Gabroy — punishment ranges from a $5,000 fine to license revocation — with a Sept. 28 hearing scheduled in Reno?

His handwriting.

Citing confidentiality, Ed Cousineau, the board’s executive director, won’t stray far from the Oct. 23, 2015, board complaint that alleges the medical records of three unnamed patients were illegible, inaccurate and incomplete.

Are we heading for an environment where you’ll have to have an EHR in order to have a medical license?

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About the author

Brian G. Rosenberg

For the past twenty years, I have been working with healthcare organizations to implement technologies and improve business processes. During that time, I have had the opportunity to lead major transformation initiatives including implementation of EHR and ERP systems as well as design and build of shared service centers. I have worked with many of the largest healthcare providers in the United States as well as many academic and children's hospitals. In this blog, I will be discussing my experiences and ideas and encourage everyone to share your own as well in the comments.

   

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