We’ve all been in a situation where we’re not able to tell what the doctor prescribed due to their handwriting.
This has been a big problem and in some cases, has led to some patients getting the wrong medication.
Well, this issue might be a thing of the past since Google is trying to address it by collaborating with pharmacists to create a way to decipher doctors’ handwriting.
Google’s Collaboration With Pharmacists
Google is reportedly testing a new app that aims to reduce the number of errors caused by doctors’ handwriting on medical prescriptions.
According to TechCrunch, the app, which is currently in the research prototype stage, allows users to take a photo of a prescription or upload it from their photo library.
The app then processes the image and highlights the medications written on the prescription.
The app is intended to be used as an assistive technology for pharmacists, rather than replacing their judgement.
A Google executive demonstrated the technology at the company’s annual Google for India conference, but no decision has yet been made about whether to launch the app.
Poor handwriting on medical prescriptions can lead to serious pharmaceutical errors and even accidental deaths.
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A report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) estimates that 1.5 million injuries occur each year as a result of pharmacists and healthcare workers misreading sloppy handwriting.
Some states in the US have implemented electronic prescribing systems in an effort to reduce these errors.
If successful, the app developed by Google could be a valuable tool in reducing the number of injuries caused by poor handwriting on medical prescriptions.
It could potentially be used by patients and healthcare professionals around the world, not just in India.
Statement By Google
“This will act as an assistive technology for digitizing handwritten medical documents by augmenting the humans in the loop such as pharmacists, however no decision will be made solely based on the output provided by this technology”.
