Advanced technologies that allow for remote and socially distanced interactions between consumers and [retailers/service providers] have been a boon during the COVID-19 pandemic for many people. But these technological solutions to the problems of the pandemic have created serious challenges for other people, particularly the 85 million U.S. consumers who live with a disability. For example, drive-through COVID-19 testing and vaccination drives have allowed millions of people to determine whether they are infected or receive protection against the virus. But for people who cannot drive, mandates that require the drive-through services, and do not offer an in-store option, limit their access to such critical care.

One such group is those with limited vision. In addition to being unable to enter a drive-through to receive testing, they struggle with other forms of access to health care. Prescriptions offer a compelling example. Especially during the pandemic, when people actively sought to reduce their visits to stores or pharmacies, reliance on mail orders for prescription drugs increased. But that option represents a substantial hurdle for the approximately 12 million people in the United States with limited vision, who might have tended to rely on in-person interactions with a pharmacist to receive necessary instructions. The packaging and labeling of most drugs uses tiny print, both on the bottles and in instructions related to appropriate dosing, refills, and contraindications. Without ready access to personalized information, provided verbally, many vision-impaired consumers have struggled to ensure they are taking their medications safely and receiving refills promptly.

Some technology-based solutions are available. If pharmacies add a tag to prescription bottles, an app called ScripTalk can scan that tag and provide an account of relevant information to users. But not all pharmacies provide this service; for example, Walmart offers it in only about 1,800 of its locations. Although CVS makes ScripTalk available through its website, it does not automatically add the tags to bottles.

A potentially more appealing option thus moves away from an exclusive reliance on technology. Small, innovative, and neighborhood pharmacies are recognizing the vast potential market of people who need personalized assistance to achieve their own health goals. Headquartered in Pennsylvania, Accessible Pharmacy caters specifically and exclusively to people with vision impairments. It encourages phone calls from customers, during which its staffers discuss the customers’ needs, review the various prescriptions they have received, check for contraindications, offer suggestions for when and how to take the medication, and remind them of refills.

Then they send out the medications, which feature large print, Braille, or a text-to-speech tag, depending on the customer’s preference. The employees also might recommend the option of pills with slightly different surfaces, such as if different versions need to be taken in the morning and at night, to help people confirm they are taking the right medication at the right time. If customers need more assistance once they receive the medications, they can contact the company through Be My Eyes, a video chat app that allows sighted service providers to review any questions the customers might have. Beyond medications, Accessible Pharmacy also offers medical devices and monitors that provide spoken reports, such as blood pressure cuffs, glucose meters, and thermometers.

Notably, one of the founders of Accessible Pharmacy has a hospitality background and also works as a marketing professor. The foundation and driving motivation in starting the business was “to create a company where accessibility and reduction of barriers would be our primary focus with an incredibly welcoming sense of hospitality.” It provides the resources consumers need, in the way they need it, right when it is required. And that’s good marketing.

Discussion Question: 

1. What packaging options could pharmacies implement more widely to ensure wider access to necessary medications among people with disabilities, such as those with limited vision? Should such packaging be required by law, to ensure fair service provision?
2. Is segmentation based on disability status an effective and ethical approach? When is it more or less appropriate?

Source: Joshua Brockman, “Specialty Pharmacies Cater to the Blind and Those with Impaired Vision,” The New York Times, September 21, 2021