Accessible Pharmacy Services for the Blind was recently featured in the UniteUs newsletter in the Partner Spotlight section. Unite Us is a technology company that builds coordinated care networks of health and social service providers. Unite Us’ dedicated team builds authentic, lasting community partnerships. This ensures quality and accountability throughout all Unite Us networks and enables partners to use data-driven insights to improve care delivery. With Unite Us, providers across sectors can send and receive secure referrals, track every person’s total health journey, and report on tangible outcomes across a full range of services in a centralized, cohesive, and collaborative ecosystem. This social infrastructure helps communities transform their ability to work together and measure impact at scale. Learn more at www.UniteUs.com.
Below is the information that was shared in the newsletter:
Accessible Pharmacy Services for the Blind
We recently (virtually) sat down with a new partner of ours, Accessible Pharmacy, to speak more about their work and their future involvement in the network. Learn more about their work and their participation in the network below!
What services do you all provide?
Accessible Pharmacy Services for the Blind is a comprehensive, home delivery pharmacy for the blind and low vision community. We provide accessible medication management solutions to increase independence, safety, and confidence for individuals with vision loss.
Our services include medication management education, caregiver support and assistance, small home medical device assistance, diabetes consultation and management, free accessible packaging and labeling, guide dog/pet medication and free shipping.
We are able to package our patient’s medications, vitamins, and supplements in over 10 different types of accessible packaging options such as bottles with easy-open lids, pre-sorted, custom disposable pill organizers, and pre-sorted, custom pill packets. All of our packaging options are available with Braille labels, large-font labels, or patients can have their labels read aloud through devices such as ScripTalk or our accompanied OCR Accessible Pharmacy app. We are also the proud pharmacy partner of Be My Eyes, a video-interface app that allows our pharmacists to assist blind users across the country with everyday pharmacy questions.
What drove you to this work?
All three of our co-founders have backgrounds in accessibility and service. Dr. Alex Cohen, our Chief Marketing and Accessibility Officer, developed a degenerative retinal disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa in his 20s and lost much of his eyesight for the next 20 years. During this time, he earned his PhD in marketing with a focus on accessibility from Drexel University. Dr. Cohen focused his dissertation research on disability accommodations in retail marketplaces, and the barriers experienced in pharmacy chains. Dr. Jason Barrett, our Chief Medical Officer, has extensive knowledge in medication management solutions and drug utilization evaluation for patient’s unique needs. Andy Burstein, our Chief Executive Officer, has a comprehensive background in healthcare marketing as well as online accessibility. We came together to create Accessible Pharmacy with an understanding of the existing obstacles facing the blind and low vision community in the pharmacy industry.
What exciting projects do you see in the future?
We are thrilled to announce our first Monthly Diabetes Webinar this upcoming February 12th in partnership with Be My Eyes. The event will be called Talking Glucose Meters for Blind Diabetics: A community event with Prodigy Diabetes Care, Be My Eyes and Accessible Pharmacy Services for the Blind. Check our website for links to the webinar and updates.
Through our partnership with Be My Eyes, we are now providing home-based COVID-19 testing for the blind community in the United States. The test is a self-administered, saliva-based test that is 99% accurate, and FDA approved. If the test is a good fit for you, please call 215-799-9900 or contact us via our Be My Eyes, Specialized Help button during our operating hours. You may find out more by visiting our website: https://accessibletelehealth.com/covid-testing-for-the-blind/.
In April, we will be launching a guide dog/pet medication program for blind owners of dogs and cats. Our patients have been requesting accessible packaging options for their animals’ medication as well as their own. We are excited to provide this service.
In 2021, we are training state Vocational Rehabilitation, Blind and Visual Services, and Independent Living therapists across the country so they can support their thousands of blind and low vision patients/clients with medication management and diabetes solutions.
In the summer of 2021, we will be initiating an internship program for blind college students interested in healthcare and the pharmacy industry.
What is our favorite part about participating in Unite Us? How do we foresee Accessible Pharmacy participating in the coming year?
Unite Us allows organizations like ours to connect with each other and serve the community. We are able to network with like-minded organizations as well as organizations who we normally have less access to. The capacity of the UniteUs infrastructure allows us to track demographics of patients so our team can adequately understand community needs and improve outcomes. We are grateful for the platform overall; it will allow us to support patients in both urban and rural settings around the country.
If you are interested in learning more about Accessible Pharmacy or think we may be a good fit for you, please call us at 215-799-9900 or visit our website at www.AccessiblePharmacy.com.