[Diabetes-talk] Talking Blood Glucose Monitors

Wed May 6 20:32:35 UTC 2009

Hi Folks,

The following article, "Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems," might provide you
with good information regarding blood glucose testing.

Regards,

Ed Bryant

TALKING BLOOD GLUCOSE MONITORING SYSTEMS

by Ed Bryant

          If you have diabetes, you need to measure your blood glucose,
regularly and often.  Then you can take action, to preserve your health.  

          Twenty-four million Americans have diabetes.  Some of these folks
have poor vision, or are losing vision, and some of them are blind.
Diabetes is the biggest producer of new blindness in the USA today.  Every
diabetic, not just the sighted, needs to regularly test their blood glucose
- and "once every three months in the doctor's office" just isn't adequate.

          Most blood glucose monitors require sight for operation and
reading of test results.  While a few do provide "large print" screen
readouts, you need usable vision to make them work.  Most meters, for sale
or given away free when you join some "diabetes supplies by mail" promotion
are of little use to folks blind or losing vision.

          But a blind person with diabetes needs to test blood sugars just
as much as a sighted person does!  It's a necessity.  But how?

          Most of us are familiar with the concept of "adaptive equipment,"
for our purposes blood glucose monitors modified and redesigned to be usable
with minimal or no useful vision.  And a number of manufacturers have tried
to provide such meters.

          They have not been equally successful.  While many meters have
been made to talk, to speak the test results, most of them still require
sight to set up, to program, to review results in memory, and, some of them,
to reliably get the blood drop on to the test strip.  They "talk," but
they're not truly, not fully, adaptive.  

          They may not fully answer your needs.  Beware; just because some
advertiser says a product is "for the blind," does not mean it is fully
adaptive.  Right now, only one meter, the Prodigy Voice, can claim that
distinction.

          The Prodigy Voice, manufactured by Diagnostic Devices Incorporated
(DDI, See Resources), not only speaks instructions and test results, it is
the only talking meter with a repeat button for last message or result, an
external headphone port, audible memory and setup menus, and (you know how
important this is) a customer service staff specially trained to assist
blind and low vision users.  It also offers instructions in alternative
formats, including Braille, free upon request to National Federation of the
Blind (NFB) members.  

          Why is this critical?  Independence.  Everyone with diabetes needs
to perform the necessary regular blood tests, but if you can't see to
operate your meter, if you need sighted aid to program it, to review test
results, then you cannot independently handle your healthcare needs.

          We in the NFB know this is unacceptable.  Blind diabetics need
meters they can use, set up, program and review, without any sighted aid, so
they can be fully independent.  Many meters do some of those things, but
right now only the Prodigy Voice does all of them.  All the others will
require sighted aid to perform some of the steps.

          Like computers, blood glucose monitors have evolved quite rapidly.
Newer meters are smaller, faster, less expensive, and need a smaller blood
sample.  There have been talking meters for decades, but the early ones were
big, complex, inconvenient, expensive, and not fully adaptive.  Things are
improving.  

          If you still use one of the old LifeScan meters, you can still get
a talkbox for it, but they are old technology, require a "hanging drop of
blood," and their test strips are going to be discontinued.  The newer
meters are not only more convenient; they're a lot cheaper.  So are their
test strips. 

          What is available now?  Currently available talking meters come in
two varieties.  The first utilize add-on speech boxes, coupled with
currently available non-talking meters.  The second type, the newer, less
expensive products, have their speech feature built directly into the meter.
They are more portable and more convenient - but only the Prodigy Voice is
fully adapted for non-sighted operation.

Resources

          Diagnostic Devices, Inc. (DDI), 2701 Hutchinson McDonald Road,
Charlotte, NC 28269, telephone: 1-800-366-5901, website:
<http://www.prodigymeter.com> www.prodigymeter.com, makes the Prodigy Voice
and another, less adaptive talking meter, the Prodigy AutoCode.  You may
purchase the Prodigy Voice meter (and test strips) from: National Federation
of the Blind, Independence Market, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, MD 21230;
telephone: (410) 659-9314; website:  <http://www.nfb.org> www.nfb.org.
Meter cost  is $75; 50 test strips for $25.

          Diabetic Supply of Suncoast, 12773 W. Forest Hill Blvd,
Wellington, FL 33414; telephone: 1-800-366-5901; website:
<http://www.dsosi.com> www.dsosi.com, makes the Advocate, Advocate Duo, and
Advocate Redi-Code talking meters.  All three may be purchased from:
Diabetic Support Program, 3381 Fairlane Farms Road, Wellington FL 33414;
telephone: 1-800-990-9826; website:   <http://www.prescriptionsplus.com>
www.prescriptionsplus.com.  Meter prices are $30, $60 and $50 respectively;
test strips for the Advocates cost $18.95; for the Redi-Code, $24.95.

          Simple Diagnostics, PO Box 128, Williston Park, NY 11596;
telephone 1-877-342-2385; website:  <http://www.simplediagnostics.com>
www.simplediagnostics.com makes the Clever Chek Autocode Voice.  This meter
may be purchased from: Advantage Diagnostics, 8476 Arrow Wood Road, Big
Sandy, TX, 75755; telephone: 1-800-333-1412.  The meter costs $29.95, and 50
test strips cost $21.95.  

          Omnis Health, 535 Enterprise Avenue, Conway AR 72032; telephone:
1-877-979-5454; website:  <http://www.omnishealth.com> www.omnishealth.com
makes the Companion talking meter, which may be purchased from: Diabetes
Care Club, 210 West Wood Place South, Suite 400, Brentwood, TN 37027;
telephone: 1-800-840-7711; website:  <http://www.diabetescareclub.com>
www.diabetescareclub.com.  Cost is $66.82 for the meter; $34.96 for 50 test
strips.

Progressive Health Supply & Source Corporation, 1 Industrial Way West,
Building E, Units G & H, Eatontown, NJ 07724; telephone: (732) 389-4702;
website:  <http://www.progressivehealthsupply.com>
www.progressivehealthsupply.com, makes the Smartest Smart-Talk meter.  This
monitor may be purchased from: Quality Medical Supply, 2160 Palm Beach
Avenue, Hialeah, FL 33010; telephone: (305) 863-9537.  Meter cost is $25; 50
test strips cost $22.50.

          If you have one of the old LifeScan meters, and you want to add a
talkbox, try Science Products, PO Box 888, Southeastern, PA 19399;
telephone: 1-800-888-7400.  They still have several models of Digi-Voice
(all priced $275); be sure to tell them which LifeScan meter you are using.

Paying for your talking blood glucose monitor

          Many private health insurance policies will cover the cost of a
talking meter, when prescribed by a doctor.  Medicare part B also provides
coverage, considering the meter "durable medical equipment."  Please be
aware talking meters, or add-on talkboxes, are reimbursed under a different
Medicare code than are "conventional" non-talking monitors - please follow
all guidelines for reimbursement!  The correct Medicare code for
"conventional" non-talking blood glucose meters is EO607; the correct code
for talking monitors, or for add-on talkboxes, is E2100.

Thanks to Connie Kleinbeck, RN, BSN, CDE, and Peter J. Nebergall, PhD, for
their help in assembling this article.

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