Illegibility of prescriptions: some worrisome implications.

Stimulated by frustration, we have begun an effort to quantify the impact of illegibility of prescriptions on both potential error rates and time consumed in filling prescriptions. In an experimental situation, despite more than 14 seconds being expended on each prescription, almost 30% of the interpretations were erroneous. The implications for patient care and for negligence allegations, plus for the costs of both, are obvious.