[Diabetes-Talk] Fwd: Tandem pump and new mobile app

Thu Oct 1 20:41:05 UTC 2020

Patricia,

First, thanks for continuing the fight. We need to keep knocking on doors until we are taken seriously.

But, it seems this rep does not understand your email. He's referring to basic functionality of the pump not access needs for blind and low vision people. It's already known that Tandem is working on allowing for more features to access the pump. But he does not seem to understand, or he doesn't care, that the pump and app are currently inaccessible for nonvisual users. Perhaps you need to respond with more specifics and frequently address the creation of a text-to-speech ability with both the pump and app.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Patricia Maddix via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Thursday, October 1, 2020 1:40 PM
To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Patricia Maddix <pmaddix at comcast.net>
Subject: [Diabetes-Talk] Fwd: Tandem pump and new mobile app

Yesterday I downloaded the T Connect App which goes along with the newest tandem insulin pump and is supposed to show all of the same information that is on the pump screen. The download process was almost entirely accessible although there was one button that would not work with voice over that I had to get assistance from a sighted person. The rest of the set up process was accessible However, all you can do is set up your account and get access to tutorials and other information. To go to the next step to see if the app itself will be accessible you have to connect it to an actual insulin pump via Bluetooth.
In the app however I located email and phone number and name of the media contact person and wrote him an email with my concerns about Accessibility of the app and the pump going forward for people who are visually impaired. He responded promptly this morning. See below. Patricia Maddix

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Steve Sabicer <ssabicer at thesabicergroup.com>
> Date: October 1, 2020 at 9:55:10 AM PDT
> To: Patricia Maddix <pmaddix at comcast.net>
> Subject: Re:  Tandem pump and new mobile app
> 
> 
> Patricia,
> 
> Thanks so much for your email. 
> 
> Tandem Diabetes Care is actively working to incorporate more mobile phone functionality into the t:slim Control-IQ platform. Future updates of the mobile application are planned to include mobile bolus delivery, additional pump control features, integration of third-party health-related information and support future capabilities for Tandem products under development. However, due to COVID-19, the regulatory timeline has been delayed. 
> 
> I can't promise you when these capabilities will be available, but I encourage you to listen to the company's quarterly earnings calls, which are open to the public, and to visit the website at: https://www.tandemdiabetes.com/about-us/pipeline. The company will update timelines periodically as new information becomes available.
> 
> Best of luck, and thank you for your email.
> 
> Steve Sabicer
> 
>> On Wed, Sep 30, 2020 at 2:53 PM Patricia Maddix <pmaddix at comcast.net> wrote:
>> Steve,
>> I found your name as the media contact person for Tandem Diabetes. I have seen some information in the media and in diabetes social media regarding the new T Connect app and the pump. Is it true that the intent of the company is to eventually make it possible to control the pump by using the app? The reason I ask is that I am severely visually impaired and many apps on my iPhone utilize the built-in screen reader Called voiceover. The Dexcom app is a fully accessible app that allows me to maneuver all the features of the app and even ask Siri to tell me what my blood glucose level is. My hope is that the current T Connect app will be accessible in the same way and that eventually the app will be able to control the pump and would therefore allow me to independently use the features.  my current Medtronic pump Is out of warranty and when it finally fails my only option will be to go back to multiple daily injections of insulin which does not do a good job at controlling my brittle diabetes.  I got my first insulin pump in 1997 and they have been  true lifesavers at allowing me to successfully control my blood glucose. I am desperately hoping that in the near future the tandem pump would have features that would allow me to use most of the Controls. Right now if I were to get one I would require my husband to become a caregiver and this would take away my independence.
>> Any information that you have as to what the near future holds would be much appreciated and if you could pass along my concerns to developers that would be great.
>> Patricia Maddix
>> 360-944-2051
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> 
> -- 
> Steve Sabicer
> SocentPR
> mobile: +1-714-907-6264
> steve at socentpr.com
> 
> www.socentpr.com
> Twitter @SocEntPR
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