Speaker 1 00:00:36 Um, good evening. Thank you for joining disability and progress, where we bring you insights into ideas about end discussions on disability topics. My name is Sam. I'm the host of this show, Charlene doll and Amber Johnson, and my research women. Charlene doll is in the studio. Good evening, Charlene. Good evening, everybody tonight, we're speaking with on vision America and we are speaking with Charlotte glass. Charlotte is a public policy and community outreach liaison for envision America. And tonight we'll be discussing the legislation that is passed in Portland, Oregon for the prescription Raider for the blind getting name's Charlotte. Thank you for joining us. Um, thanks for having me on vision. Is that correct pronunciation?
Speaker 2 00:01:27 We usually say
Speaker 1 00:01:27 Envision envision on vision admission. Okay. Ian, can you start with, um, giving me some history about you and how you got to this place?
Speaker 2 00:01:42 Well, I've been with envision America for 14 years. Um, before that I was, uh, actually, um, doing family life and youth ministry. And when we moved from Minnesota to Illinois, Minnesota at this job, um, but, uh, there wasn't any ministry jobs available in this area. So I just took a temp job and it happened to be envision America. They had just moved out of Phil's garage basement and, you know, had their first building. And, uh, we're just in the beginning stages. So I've been with them the whole time since then, and just really, um, enjoyed helping and seeing it grow from, you know, our very first customer was a veterans administration, hospitals, and, and now we're working with, um, Walmart and CVS mail order and Caremark and express scripts, Optum RX, like big name pharmacies that are really getting on board and offering, um, some accessibility options.
Speaker 1 00:02:48 So give us some history about envision and how it got started and all that good stuff.
Speaker 2 00:02:55 Yeah. So I mentioned that on starting in field basement, um, Phil raistrick, um, had two blind brothers. And so, you know, he was pretty familiar with some of the struggles and they decided to try and solve some, some of the problems. Um, so the first invention of what's driving the problem of people cheating at poker, because if you have braille cards and you're dealing, you can easily read the car, though, you're dealing,
Speaker 1 00:03:21 Especially to the back of the cards. I never do that. No.
Speaker 2 00:03:26 And so what they did is they barcoded all the cars and then created a small program for a laptop, so they can have an earbud and then scan the barcode and hear the card spoken aloud to them. So that was the beginning of our ID mate talking barcode scanner. So we started with just a deck of cards and now we have about 5 million products in our database, so you can shower and just scan anything. And it'll be in there. If it's not in there, you can record with your own voice what it is. And then when you get home, everything's identify at all.
Speaker 1 00:04:04 What does that scanner all tell you? Do you have to put everything in that, what you want to hear about it, or does it have other stuff about the product?
Speaker 2 00:04:16 Um, well it depends on where we got the data from. So I'm actually the database manager for that product. So, um, we get data from manufacturers. So in that case it would be like all the complete package information, but then sometimes the data just came from like somebody ate something at lunch and I had typed in the information and other times like, we'll get data. Um, somebody gives us permission to scrape their website. So maybe it's just that product name. So it just kind of depends, but about 600,000 items have complete package information.
Speaker 1 00:04:56 That's cool.
Speaker 2 00:04:58 It is. So that was the very first product that they worked on. The second one. Um, what is the one that, um, the, you know, the live past about, and that is the talking prescription labels and we call that script talk. And so that's actually utilizes RFID technology. What is that? There's so radio frequency identification. Okay. Or if were talking about cell phones, they call it near-field communication. Okay. So when you, like you hold your phone next to somebody else's phone and they share information, right. That same technology. Um, so with script talk, the pharmacy, uh, programs and RFID tag with all your medication information. So basically there's a little microchip and an antenna embedded in the label, and then they can program that with just the text of all the information on your, so then when you put it on our reader or our smartphone app, it can read aloud all the prescription information to you, including the warnings, the refill information, instructions, everything that's on the legal label.
Speaker 2 00:06:13 All right. Um, yes, it's so nice. And so we, we started out, um, really the VA was looking for a solution to help the blinded veterans. And, um, so, you know, they kind of like put up P a P S a out, you know, we're looking for solutions like they usually do. And then everybody competes for who has the best solution. And so, you know, we won that crop contract and we've been with them. Um, I dunno, I'm not exactly sure when we started with them, but over 14 years, cause I know we had the contract before I started. So, um, that we've been at that their solution ever since then.
Speaker 1 00:06:54 Can you talk about, a little bit about the progression? Like what was it at first that the reader did and what did it look like at the beginning?
Speaker 2 00:07:05 The very beginning, it was a little black box, um, and it had three buttons on it had rechargeable batteries. Um, the VA would hand that out to the, to the patient and then, um, they have software where if that person is in the system as needing the audible label, then when they go in a silver label or mean the prescription that will just avoid the regular label and pronounce the script talk label. So it makes it easy for the pharmacist to, and um, that little black box, you know, we probably used that for 10 years, I think. Um, It's both why it speaks a loud. Yeah. It's basically just a little portable speaker. Um, it just has to download the information from the tags and then it just speaks that information aloud. And how did,
Speaker 1 00:08:04 Sorry, how did it scan the, um, information? Like how did it get the information into the box?
Speaker 2 00:08:12 So the way RFID works, um, it starts a little microchip and it can store, you know, data. So we're really only storing at, um, I think like I'm not currently able to can store 10 K of data. And so it's just a text file really that's stored on there. And so when you hold the, the label close to the device, um, the radio frequency range is about three inches. And so as long as you have it, like within three inches of the device, um, it'll send out, um, a signal searching for the tag and then when it finds it will download from the microchip. So this is the same technology that, um, stores are using it for security or like when you go to a concert and they give you, uh, a special tag and it reads as you go by, it's the same technology.
Speaker 1 00:09:12 So, um, is that still okay, so go ahead. You were talking about how the black box and what it looks like and, um,
Speaker 2 00:09:22 Yeah, so it was like maybe like the size of a postcard, but an interesting, okay. Um, so, but the problem with that, or, you know, like it just, the way technology is, everything goes out of date so quickly. So we needed to update everything, um, more powerful, uh, radio frequency identification, um, antennas now and everything. So, um, we designed the script talk station. Um, it's actually a little bit larger, um, but we designed it so like, it can be put on the wall, like you can hang it on the wall or inside your cupboard. Um, and it has a larger read range. Um, and actually being a little bit larger is actually better for a lot of low vision people. Cause it was, you know, it's white and it's easier not to lose a little bit bigger, but it's still small enough that you could flip it in your purse or your suitcase if you're traveling and so forth.
Speaker 2 00:10:19 So, um, and it still has three buttons, um, a floored backward and a read button. Um, and then it has, uh, some wheel switch to turn it on and off. So it's still very, very basic, you know, even if you didn't read any of the instructions or listen to our instructional CD, you would still be able to figure out how to use that. Right. Um, so of course we have great customer service that will teach you how to use it over the phone as well. So no problem about that ever. Um, so this larger one, um, script talk station we've been using for, you know, I, I didn't keep track of when we started that probably about five years though. And we're actually in the process of designing the next version of the script talk device and it's going to be, um, have additional features, like, um, ability to do some translation and have multiple languages. So
Speaker 1 00:11:21 I'm going to stop you here for a minute. What is the script tag that's currently out? What does that run on? Like, is it,
Speaker 2 00:11:28 You can use regular double a batteries or you can plug it into the wall either one.
Speaker 1 00:11:35 Okay. W we were talking about the new reader now that's out Charlotte. Um, I'm wondering like how it sounds like you can use it with the reader or how does it work with your phone? Can it be with your phone in conjunction with
Speaker 2 00:11:56 Yeah. So if your smartphone has near-field communication, um, you can check and see if our app is compatible. We have an Android app that's been out for several years and then, um, our iPhone app is actually going to be available with the release of iOS 13. So, uh, we're going to have some people beta testing it for the first couple of weeks here, and then it should be available to the overall public. But if anybody wants to beta test it, they can certainly call us and we'll, we'll get them set up. Um, and that was because the iPhone, their near-field communication was really restricted for many years to just apple pay. And then I think last summer, not this summer, but last summer, they opened it up to the general public. And there's some security features that really weren't jiving with our, um, labels. So I think with iOS 13, all that supposed to get worked out. And, uh, so then I sold apple will be available. So you'll just be able to fold your prescription bottle with the smart, uh, with a script talk label up to the phone with the app on, and then it will read all the information aloud to you.
Speaker 1 00:13:12 So just so I understand. Um, so it sounds like then there will be a choice because not everyone has a smartphone, even though people can't believe that, but it is true that not everyone does. Um, so if you, you can have actually a, uh, a box of sort that's you use for reading that dis prescription or your phone, correct.
Speaker 2 00:13:38 Right. We will still provide the script talk station at no cost to anyone who needs one and w that's technically a long-term loan. We, so we just loan those out to people with no cost for as long as they're using a participating pharmacy. And so even if you primarily use your phone, but you, you know, you need one for a backup, we're happy to loan that out to you, um, for as long as you need it. So definitely it's necessary. And, um, we're happy also to help people. I know, like a lot of times, if your insurance changes, you have to switch pharmacies, so we're happy to help people find a pharmacy that's, you know, in their network and that will provide prep talk. Um, so
Speaker 1 00:14:22 Is it hard to find the labels on the sometimes, you know, using some other things and reading the labels with the phones, especially sometimes that can be a real bear to find the labels on the bags or bottles to have whatever you're having the app read. So is it easy to find the label on the bottle or box or whatever you're going to be having? How will people find that?
Speaker 2 00:14:52 Well, the way that, um, RFID or near-field communication works, um, you just have to be near the field early. So, you know, like with the New York field communication, your phones could be just in the same room and they'll still exchange that information. So, um, for our device, it's about, um, a one to three inch read range. So as long as a prescription bottle is within one to three inches of the device, it should still read the label
Speaker 1 00:15:20 And the label doesn't necessarily have to be facing the machine or fried.
Speaker 2 00:15:26 However, the way our machine is designed, you can just put your medication bottle on top of it. You just set it on top and almost, you know, like nine, 9% of the medications are in a vial and they put the label on the bottom. So it's going to be literally touching the device anyway. Um, our labels are just about the size of a quarter, so they just sit on the bottom of your vile. So you have a box or something, other design medication, a bottle or something you can, it'll still work.
Speaker 3 00:15:58 Normally when you don't have your device, there's a big label on the bottle. Will there still be that, or does your device in your, the tag take that whole scenario away?
Speaker 2 00:16:13 They, the pharmacies will still put the legal label on there. Okay. Yeah. And some of our pharmacies, um, that are participating also offer our other two accessible label formats, uh, which would be our large print script view label and the braille label. So each pharmacy could decide which solutions best meet the needs of their patients. Um, in some of the pharmacies that have scripts ability, software provide all three and then some like Walmart, they, they say, well, the majority of people are going to benefit from script to talk. So we're just going to provide script talk. So, but it's worth asking your pharmacist what, um, accessibility options are available because, you know, they might offer large print in some way or brown, um, just to pack.
Speaker 1 00:17:08 So I'd like to talk a little bit about legislation for this. It seems like it's been happening for a long time and it, how many states I think I thought I read that you guys are the second state to have this law passed. Can you talk about who the first state was and is that true? You're you're the second state,
Speaker 2 00:17:32 Oregon is the second state. The first state was Nevada. Um, Nevada law is a little bit different than Oregon though in Nevada. Their law is that pharmacies must tell people that accessible prescription labels are available. Now they're not required to actually provide them. They can just refer them to another pharmacy. We don't do it, but you could go over there and get it. Um, so I mean, it was definitely a step off, but it wasn't really required the pharmacies to do it the way that's an Oregon law does. So in Oregon, if someone is, you know, is visually impaired or says that they are blind, then the pharmacy is required to provide, um, the prescription reader and the labels that go with it.
Speaker 1 00:18:24 So I, I think, um, this feels like something that should be mandatory. Like a lot of people not only need medication for themselves, but they might be taking care of children. They might be taking care of, you know, elderly parents, et cetera, et cetera. Um, I wondering why has, I know it started a while back. Why is this taking so long?
Speaker 2 00:18:51 Well, here's the issue of the ADA actually sides that pharmacies must provide, um, effective communication tools for those who need them, but they need doesn't really have a lot of teeth. Like if anybody wants the ADA to be applied in their situation, they have to go through the department of justice and file a complaint and they have a lawsuit and most blind and visually impaired people, you know, that is too much. They're just like, well, I'll just go without it. Um, so, uh, that's why the ADA, even though it says that it's required to provide some kind of effective communication tool, it hasn't been applied in those instances. Um, and then when the affordable care act came into play, uh, section 1557 says you can't discriminate against someone's disability. And if you're not providing the same services, then you know, you can have your Medicaid, Medicare status revoked.
Speaker 2 00:19:53 We found a few more pharmacies coming on board with that because going online and filling out a department of health and human services, um, complaint form form is a lot easier than doing a whole lawsuit. Uh, so those two things are still on the books, really. Um, people can refer to those when they talk about this issue to their pharmacist or other people. Um, but again, it's, there's not a whole lot of teeth, but when it comes to like a state law that he gets a pharmacy on board and they're actually interacting with pharmacies and checking on compliance and, um, hopefully know these laws will have a little bit more impact when it's being run at the state level or, you know, managed at the state level.
Speaker 1 00:20:43 Could you reference, could you reference that number again, of the section of what says that they have the right
Speaker 2 00:20:51 Affordable care act section 1557? Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:20:55 So that's where people maybe need to go to read on this. I know it has been a while that, you know, I was told like years back that, Hey, you can ask for this, I'm here even in Minnesota, but they're not required to do it, or they, they might tell you, but they're in fact, I don't even think I've ever been told that you could get an accessible, you know, script reader or something to help you with your medications.
Speaker 2 00:21:27 The ABA is enforced and Minnesota, and there are some pharmacies that are providing it. Um, I think that when people talk to their pharmacist, they need to say, you know, this is really important and I need this, um, this accommodation. And I think a lot of times people just don't know that they should talk about it. And the pharmacies can with the ADA say like, this is too much of a burden, but our, our general, I mean, this isn't like every contract is a little bit different, but our overall independent pharmacy costs, it's $200 a year plus the cost of the labels. So it's not really digging a lot out of their pocket to provide accommodation. Um, so I, but a lot of times they don't know that yeah. You know, they haven't looked into it, they haven't called us or any of our competitors to see, you know, what, what does it really take to provide this? And I mean, we've had some places where it's like the pharmacy, it's like, Hey, I, a small Podunk town, I can't do this. And we've had like a club purchased the equipment for them, or somebody found a grant or something to just get them started. So there's lots of options. If a pharmacy really wants to do it, we can help make it happen. You know,
Speaker 1 00:22:50 How does this work in like Canada, which is a pretty close place to us, does at any of this affect them at all? Do you have any idea that people,
Speaker 2 00:23:04 Um, British Columbia actually as our most active province, because they have some disability laws in place and then Ontario is coming on board, they just enacted some more disability laws as well. So, uh, we actually work with, uh, Loblaws and Sobey's, um, in Canada, well, in British Columbia, we're working with Walmart. Um, so it's not like in every store, but the companies are aware of it and trying to provide it as they can, if not, uh, in store through mail order. And that's actually how a lot of us companies started. Um, and CVS still just provides it through mail order. So it's, it's a stark and it can accommodate a lot of people, but it's not as convenient as having it, you know, in store so that if you get like a antibiotic or something, you can get it labeled to.
Speaker 1 00:24:03 Right. Charlotte, um, talk a little bit about how Oregon got started, the legislation, how, what process did they go through to make this a mandatory thing? What happened?
Speaker 2 00:24:21 Yeah, so, um, really the people who were working really hard behind the scenes on this is the American council of the blind of Oregon. Um, they Lilly, a lot of their members really wanted this and we're having a hard time really, you know, getting pharmacies to come on board. And so it's a very common with, uh, American comfortable, blind, um, chapters and state affiliates to decide on some legislation that they want to promote how they do that every year. And so then, um, their legislative committee, uh, talked, you know, had meetings and talked about, you know, what exactly would we want this bill to look like? And then they, they, uh, did all the hard ground work of finding legislators that would support the bill and sponsor it. And, um, you know, did the whole letter writing campaign and gathered witnesses and people to give testimony, uh, to the necessity of it and what are the ins and outs of it.
Speaker 2 00:25:25 And, um, you know, there really was a lot of back and forth in the legislative process with the pharmacies and, um, different, uh, stakeholders so that it could, so everyone could be happy with the solution in the end. Um, because you know, pharmacies do have a lot to say, and there's, you know, especially in Oregon, there's a lot of small, independent pharmacies, especially in the Eastern half. So we, why are they making sure that it wasn't overburdening to them? Um, but that, uh, it would still be available to everyone without being referred, you know, a long distance away.
Speaker 1 00:26:08 So you could, you could look at the Nevada bill, but you really had to make changes with what you guys wanted because your bill is so much more your loss so much more.
Speaker 2 00:26:20 Yeah. The Oregon council of blind was pretty outspoken about wanting to make different, you know, have it worded differently. So I really proud of that for the work they put into that. And, um, you know, it could have been really easy to be like, well, we're afraid that they might say no right away. And so we don't want to ask for more, but they want to have an ask for what they really wanted and they got it. So
Speaker 1 00:26:49 Were you surprised that Oregon was the second state, like you personally, were you surprised that your state went for it? Is this, I guess I would have thought maybe like California jumping on board, you know, they're kind of progressive when it comes to some of this stuff. I'm surprised they don't already have this. Uh, but
Speaker 2 00:27:09 Well, actually California council of the blind is the one that has done all the groundwork, um, in the, in the, with the companies that are ready to provide it. So they did settlement agreements with Walmart and Walgreens, CVS, Humana, Kaiser, um, the settlement agreements that got them to provide script, talk couples without a law. We're all based on California, comes with lines worked. So they have the working very hard, just not through the legislative process, more through a settlement agreements. So what, I wouldn't be surprised if in the next couple of years they went ahead and supported legislation. So I, now that Oregon and Nevada,
Speaker 1 00:27:58 I understand, I think though, I think having a law's important, cause I'm wondering how, you know, and granted, you know, you could ask the same question was a law, but how do you know people are being told, because I'll tell you that me as a visually impaired person is pretty obvious. I'm visually impaired. Nobody's ever said anything to me. And I've gotten plenty of prescriptions as far as I have children, you know, I've, I've had to have prescriptions for them. Okay. Originally, um, I, it's never been mentioned to me. I mean, I guess I did, if you want to go about it. I think about that. I did know about it, except that it was that you have to work with your pharmacy to get them to do it. It sounded like it was kind of big to-do and I just had other stuff I was doing, but this is,
Speaker 2 00:28:48 And in Minnesota, that actually is kind of the way it is right now. Unfortunately, because there aren't very many pharmacies in Minnesota offering it right now. And I think we don't even have Mayo clinic onboard yet.
Speaker 1 00:29:00 And that makes me sad because Minnesota is pretty progressive in many ways, but not with this. So I wonder if you can, is there, do you feel like there's an advantage to having this be law in Oregon, as opposed to California that presumably they just do it.
Speaker 2 00:29:27 Um, and I think that if there's a lot, it's definitely going to be an advantage for those who are, um, you know, who have, you know, Binance or any kind of visual impairment or even illiterate or brain trauma. I mean, they're definitely going to benefit from having a law where it requires a pharmacist to be knowledgeable about it, know what the options are. Um, and just having it in place means that they're, they've done some comparison shopping and are a little bit more familiar with, um, the products that are available, you know, the accessible technologies that are available, but also then there becomes that component of like, okay, we're offering these, but now we also have to like really learn about, um, how do we interact with these customers? Maybe we really weren't trained, um, disability awareness before. And so there's that whole awareness part too, where it's like, oh, well suddenly like now we know that these patients have a disability and you know, like maybe we should spend some more time and like be more cognizant of, uh, the service that we're providing. Um, so, so I think there's that the whole awareness.
Speaker 1 00:30:41 Yes. And that, I think having it be law that although I can think of some lives here that obviously people are not, not savvy to, but I think that you're right. It gives a leg up to things and there probably may be, hopefully it's worked into the training of the pharmacist or the pharmacy place. Um, how long does it take this to become law when you started working on it?
Speaker 2 00:31:13 Well, I think the Oregon council of the blind, um, started working last fall. So I mean, they got it done in one legislative session. Um, so I know like, um, no I'll Heil, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts all have, um, proposal proposed bills as well on the books right now. But Ohio has been working for a long time cause their last legislative session, they proposed it and it never made it to the floor. And so then they had to re propose it again this time and, um, you know, they were working as hard and that's actually, um, not council of the blind, but another organization. Um, I'm not, I don't know if publicize or not who they are, but they're working hard on it. And um, so, you know, there's every single state going to be a little bit different, um, in a way their legislator work, legislative assembly works, um, and how much backing they have.
Speaker 1 00:32:20 Um, and do you know, do these other states, are they just kind of taking a page from you guys? Are they, are they taking the duplicate of this bill and proposing it and say, this is what they'd like? Or are they, are they starting? Are they, you know, rebuilding from the ground up?
Speaker 2 00:32:37 Um, I would say a Highland, Pennsylvania has very similar language. Massachusetts is actually very, very different. Um, and they, so I, I'm not sure, you know, if Massachusetts intended that, um, I don't think they're really based in there as on Nevada at all. Um, but I think Pennsylvania and Ohio, you know, they've, they've learned from the whole process. Like I think they're willing to ask for more so that they got more, you know, Nevada did, so they're definitely learning and I think more and more states, you know, watching the other states go through the process, it's, it's, it'll be refined as they go, you know,
Speaker 1 00:33:23 Are there parts of the bill or the law and in your state, is there, are there things that you wish were in the law that are not,
Speaker 2 00:33:35 Um,
Speaker 1 00:33:36 Or do you feel like you guys just pretty much got it right.
Speaker 2 00:33:41 I'm trying to think of some of the conversations that I sat in on. Um, I think for the most part, everyone got what they wanted. Um, you know, some pharmacies were excluded for example, like hospitals or nursing homes in jails. And I don't think that that was a big deal for most people because there's staff in those places that can assist people. Um, I think Oregon was, you know, my personal opinion. I think like it was, they really got what they needed.
Speaker 1 00:34:23 What are your opinions of why this has taken so long? I mean, if this feels like this should be something that is everyone's on an equal ground, right? You don't want people to mistake their meds. You want them to know what they're doing? Why is this so hard?
Speaker 2 00:34:40 It's all about money, really. Um, the pharmacy industry right now, I mean for pharmaceutical companies, you know, they're, we all know they're making a lot of money, but for the smaller, independent pharmacies, a lot of the time, you know, it's was Medicaid and Medicare sometimes on prescriptions, they're actually losing money. So they're really hesitant to add another, you know, dollar expense to each prescription, um, are, is our labels can be anywhere between a dollar and $2 depending on the contract that they have signed on the way that they're providing the service. Cause we always give the biggest discounts to the pharmacies that are actually providing it in store so that acute medications can be filled. Um, but I think that, you know, when it's so cut throat and they're, you know, it's, they're barely making on the dollar for the prescription. They're just really having tend to like, do anything new. And also it's a time factor, like why these pharmacists are really pressured to do a lot of fill a lot of prescriptions and do all the paperwork and insurance filing and the idea, just the idea of like one more step to program, a script talk label seems daunting to them. So now I think once they're doing it, it's, doesn't, it's fine, but it seems overwhelming.
Speaker 1 00:36:08 You know, we talk about the prescription side of this, but there are plenty of things that are non-prescription, you know, headache, medicine, stomach issue, medicine, um, cough syrup, things that people really could use. I mean, some, some people daily, so somewhat daily things, um, or things they use often that they could really use something that tells them, is there anything happening with that?
Speaker 2 00:36:39 Well, um, each of the pharmacies that have script ability software can decide how they want to do that. Um, some pharmacies, um, we've heard they say, no, we're not going to do any over the counter. Well then there are others that say, you know, sure, just buy them here and we'll label them for you. And then we've got a few others that are like, well, we don't want the liability of deciding, like, what's your, what your, um, how much Tylenol you should take. So if you bring me a prescription from your doctor that says the correct dosage for you, then I'll make you a script talk label. So if you really have to talk to your personal pharmacist, that's providers per talk and see if they're willing to do that additional service,
Speaker 1 00:37:26 It occurs to me that somebody needs to work with these manufacturers or these drug companies that are making the drugs. Just so when you pull out a, uh, a bottle of, um, ibuprofen, 200 milligrams, it just reads that to you. And then you can be the deciding factor of how much you take. Um, it seems to me that that would be a good addition for the script talk, but I don't know how, I mean, you know what I'm saying? Like, why wouldn't they just add that in
Speaker 2 00:38:00 Again, I think it's cost, you know, there's a small amount of people that are gonna actually use that service. Um,
Speaker 1 00:38:07 Although more and more people are getting older now, you know, people have to find their glasses and put on when they're looking for their bottle meds. If they get up in the middle of the night to get something for your head or congestion or whatever, this would be an excellent thing that could just kind of run hand in hand. So, yeah. Talk, can you talk to me about the lobbying process? Cause I'm, I would love to see my state be one of those phenomenal states that had this law. I think it's, that would, that's an excellent thing to have and benefits honestly. Um, my theory is if it benefits us, oftentimes it benefits the whole. Um, and so I, I see people being benefited, you know, who might have dyslexia, people who might have just a harder time reading, you know, the small print on the bottle, uh, just a lot of different scenarios. So talk about a little bit about the, the lobbying issue and how you go about starting something like this.
Speaker 2 00:39:23 Yeah. So I'm, I'm actually still learning, cause this was my first year in this position. So I learned a lot from the Oregon council of the blind and we know working with Ohio now, uh, I think it's been really fascinating how it's really a grassroots effort. So it really starts with people writing to their legislators and saying, will you sponsor this bill? Will you please, you know, put it on the floor and then starting that whole process. Um, once you know, it's been proposed, then it's, um, you know, getting other legislators to co-sponsor it and then writing letters of witness and testimony, um, so that when it gets to whatever committee that's assigned to there's enough, uh, feedback to show that this was really important and you know, what are some of the issues that are at stake, um, and get all the stakeholders, you know, in on that committee meetings so that if any of the wording needs to be, um, I don't know what the technical term is, but if any of the wording needs to be changed, you know, so that everybody's happy, then that can happen in the committee before it goes to the floor for a final vote.
Speaker 1 00:40:40 Do you know, did these states that are working on it? Uh, well I guess so would, what if one was interested, could they come and like, get a copy of your bill or your law and what it looked like? So they could say, you know, this is what we'd like to see.
Speaker 2 00:40:56 Yeah. Um, if anybody wants to, you know, contact envision America, I'd be happy to provide them with, uh, you know, the information about the, all the different laws and what wording, um,
Speaker 1 00:41:10 Cause no reason to reinvent the wheel. Right? Pardon no reason to reinvent the wheel.
Speaker 2 00:41:17 Exactly. Um, I actually have like an entire, uh, sheets of like, you know, things to keep in mind and suggestions on for, for people who are writing letters and testimony and stuff like that. Just because I think like when it comes to script FOC um, you know, there's the safety issues because also the, you know, the personal independence issues and, um, there's issue about whether it's provided at your store or through a mail order. Um, you know, that was actually one of the things that they wanted to make sure in the Oregon bill, but they didn't get water down. So that mail order was okay as an option. Like we want mail orders to provide it, but we don't want like a store to be able to say, well, we're not going to provide it cause you could get it through our mail order. Doesn't help you say, if you have a schedule, two drivers that can't be mailed or an acute medication for, you know, the strips don't you have today. Um, so you know, all those different issues that we want addressed in the testimony so that, you know, the bill doesn't get watered down and have all the strengths of it being provided at the counter, uh, when you need it taken out. So I'd be happy to provide people with that information.
Speaker 1 00:42:42 How do people get in touch with you?
Speaker 2 00:42:46 Uh, so envision America a 1 808 9 0 1 1 8 0.
Speaker 1 00:42:53 Can you give that number again?
Speaker 2 00:42:56 808 9 0 1 1 8 0. And they can find us
[email protected]. And that is E N V I S I O N america.com.
Speaker 1 00:43:12 So is there anything that your, that script, the smart that you'd like it to do that it doesn't currently do?
Speaker 2 00:43:24 Yeah, so, um, I mentioned that our newer version that we're in development of is going to have some translation opportunities and that is actually something that's been asked for a lot and that we're excited to try and develop because not every pharmacy has, um, uh, a pharmacist that can speak and program a device in another language. And if we had translation service on board, then, um, the pharmacist wouldn't necessarily have to know another language right now we do offer five different languages or we have five different dictionaries available, but the pharmacist has to be able to type the prescription out in that language. So, oh,
Speaker 1 00:44:15 What are those languages?
Speaker 2 00:44:18 Um, so we have, um, English and British English, uh, French Canadian, uh, Mexican, Spanish, and Dutch. And then, um, our script mew label, our large print label, we actually contract with another service. Um, and that's an option for pharmacies and they actually do 14 different languages, um, for the instructions. Um, so actually the pharmacist wouldn't have to know the language for that. That actually is translation, but that's just a, a printed JPEG with the instructions and then in the selective language. Okay.
Speaker 1 00:44:59 I imagine that that script via the large print label is much easier and probably was easier for people to get. Um, as opposed to the reading part,
Speaker 2 00:45:13 Actually we have more script talk pharmacies and script view pharmacy.
Speaker 1 00:45:18 Wow. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:45:19 Cool. Yeah, especially because Walmart is offering script talk and so, uh, we have thousands of Walmart's on board already and they just made an announcement, um, in August that they're going to provide it in any store where it's requested and they've educated their pharmacists on that process. So Walmart is probably the most accessible pharmacy we'll have
Speaker 1 00:45:42 I talked to them. I usually don't promote them, but excellent. That is an excellent thing. So that, you know, the language thing, is there any other, I mean, I guess I could think of, that'd be really cool if it worked with non-prescription meds too. Um,
Speaker 2 00:46:03 Um, yeah, so because of RFID technology, that's not going to happen, but you know, there are a lot of, um, apps available that people can't Thompson and of course our it mates or ID mate probably has most of the over-the-counter drugs in our database. So that's,
Speaker 1 00:46:24 I was just thinking it's nice for one product, you know, it's just, sometimes you get an overload with how I actually use this app for this or this product for this. Um, and I think we are moving towards more and more via because of the phones, a product that does a lot of everything, of course, that doesn't always make them good at every little thing they do, but they do do a lot of everything. Is there any final things that you would like to, I really want you to give your information again, of how people can reach you. And I really encourage people to get involved in, start lobbying for this, because this is also important. And even if you think now, well, I don't have a visual impairment sooner or later, you're going to know somebody who does or you're going to, because everyone's getting older and this is especially like the baby boomers that are, you know, aging. Um, and it will be a matter of time, right? It's not a given that everyone's going to get a visual disability, but it is, it, it can happen.
Speaker 2 00:47:37 Alright. I have a whole thing with universal design is that it benefits everyone. So I'm definitely all about, you know, promoting that. I think the one thing that I want to add is just that, uh, people should know that this is free to consumers. So the cost is picked up by the pharmacy because the ADA says they cannot charge people for accommodations and they don't charge you. They use the wheelchair ramp, they don't charge you to get
Speaker 1 00:48:05 All the elevators,
Speaker 2 00:48:06 Handicap rails in the bathroom. They can't charge you for, uh, accommodating in the pharmacy. Um, so people should know that it is free. It's just that we have to get pharmacies to be providing a service.
Speaker 1 00:48:20 Can you give your contact info once more?
Speaker 2 00:48:23 Yeah. So envision America is 1 808 9 0 1 1 8 0. And we're at envision America at that time.
Speaker 1 00:48:35 Sure. Less. Thank you so much for coming on and volunteering your time and thank you for all the work you've done with this, uh, helped do excellent. I'm very proud of Oregon and I hope Minnesota follows suit soon. What
Speaker 2 00:48:52 Are you doing?
Speaker 1 00:48:54 Don't look at me, Charlene. She looks at me for everything I'm like, come on. Oh, okay. Okay. Okay. Well, thank you very much again. And, and, uh, um, keep, keep being progressive about getting more in the hands of everyone. Thank you. This has been disability in progress. The views expressed on the show are not necessarily those of cafe or its board of directors, but they should be. This is cafe 90.3, FM Minneapolis and kpi.org. If you'd like to be on my email list, you may email
[email protected], Charlene doll and Amber Johnson, or my research woman, Charlene doll was in the studio tonight. Special. Thanks to Amber Johnson for setting this topic up. If you have a topic you may email me and let's talk about it. Thank you so much for listening. Good night.
