While reviewing an indoor patient file during litigation, the lawyer notices that an earlier recorded drug dose appears incorrect. According to accepted medico-legal practice for maintaining medical records, the doctor should have corrected the error by:
- A Erasing the wrong entry completely and writing the correct dose in its place
- B Applying white fluid over the wrong entry and rewriting the dose
- C Striking through the wrong entry with a single line, then writing the correction with signature and date ✓
- D Leaving the entry untouched since records can never be altered
Correct answer: C. Striking through the wrong entry with a single line, then writing the correction with signature and date
Explanation
Standard forensic teaching requires that a wrong entry be struck through with a single line so that it remains legible, followed by the corrected entry, the initials or signature and the date. Overwriting, erasure or whitening fluid destroys the evidentiary value of the record and raises a presumption of fabrication against the treating doctor. Complete prohibition of correction is not the rule; transparent, signed amendment is.
Reference: Parikh's Textbook of Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 7th ed.
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