[Ohio-talk] FW: [Accessible-Medical-Equipment-Discussion-Group] Inaccessible Medical Devices Have Life or Death Consequences

[Walter Mitchell]

Hello fellow Federationist,

 

Accessible Medical Equipment is a very important part of our lives, whether you are diabetic or suffer with any medical situation that equipment is required to allow blind individuals to live productive independent lives. Anil Lewis has posted a blog that gives a great explanation of the aspects of the Accessible Medical Equipment Group and what we aspire to achieve.  We are determined to move our objectives forward. Please read the blog and consider if you can help with the important dilemma we face as a blind community. Please open the link in the previous message. Anil also provides a printed synopsis of the blog in the message.

Thank you,

Walter Mitchell

V-President, Ohio Diabetes Action Network

Board member, National Diabetes Action Network

(513) 582-8606

 <mailto:Walterl.mitch2 at gmail.com> Walterl.mitch2 at gmail.com

 

 

 

From: Accessible-Medical-Equipment-Discussion-Group [mailto:accessible-medical-equipment-discussion-group-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lewis, Anil via Accessible-Medical-Equipment-Discussion-Group
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2018 10:02 AM
To: Accessible-Medical-Equipment-Discussion-Group
Cc: Lewis, Anil
Subject: [Accessible-Medical-Equipment-Discussion-Group] Inaccessible Medical Devices Have Life or Death Consequences

 

https://nfb.org/blog/article/3770













Inaccessible Medical Devices Have Life or Death Consequences

Posted by  <https://nfb.org/blog/author/anil%20lewis%20> Anil Lewis | 11/21/2018 |  <https://nfb.org/blog/category/277> Access Technology

Editor's Note:  

Anil Lewis is the executive director of the Jernigan Institute of the National Federation of the Blind.

 A blood glucose meter. <https://nfb.org/images/kate-92831-unsplash.jpg> 

The National Federation of the Blind is working to increase the accessibility of medical technologies so that blind people can live the lives we want.

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the largest causes of blindness, yet the technology that allows individuals to monitor and cope with this disease remains fundamentally inaccessible to blind people.

Blind people, as a subset of society, are also affected by other diseases like cancer, but have no independent access to the technologies that help manage these diseases. Medical technology that allows individuals to independently administer dialysis and chemotherapy treatments in the home are inaccessible, and create an unnecessary dependence on others.

At our 2016 National Convention, our members passed  <https://nfb.org/2016-resolutions> Resolution 2016-16 which highlighted the “Technology Bill of Rights for Individuals with Diabetes and Vision Loss.” It asserts meaningful access to the same life-changing diabetes information, diagnostic tools, and treatments as are available to others. These rights should be universal to blind individuals regardless of their medical condition.

Blind people struggle to use the limited make-shift tools and strategies available to us to care for ourselves, while the rest of the world is on insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors that they can fully access safely and independently. Using workaround strategies in order to access medical equipment puts blind individuals unnecessarily at risk.

We seek to remove this risk by making the technology nonvisually accessible to the blind through tactile markers, speech, large print and/or Braille access. When done correctly, this is simpler than most people think, and enhances innovation with little to no additional cost.

In January of 2018, we launched the NFB Accessible Medical Technology Working Group, a forum through which we can identify priorities and share ideas for increasing the accessibility of medical devices and apps, because unlike other technologies, medical devices have life or death consequences.

 

 

Anil  

Sent from my iPhone

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