Pharmacies: Specialty | Patient Care

Specialty Pharmacies and Accessible Medication Solutions

DeAnna Quietwater Noriega, an essayist and full-time caregiver for her husband Curtis, receives medications and other supplies hand-delivered by D&H Drugstore in Columbia, Missouri. Ms. Noriega, 73, was born with glaucoma and has been visually impaired since the age of 8.

"They know us by name and always treat us with respect and kindness," she says of her independent pharmacy. "They go above and beyond to ensure our medications are compatible and advocate for us when our insurance company pushes back on the prescribed drugs."

Ms. Noriega's medications come with ScripTalk labels, which she reads using her iPhone. Previously, she filled her prescriptions through Walmart but found it frustrating because she wasn’t notified when refills were due. "We had to rely on reading the fine print on the label," she explains.

Many independent pharmacies offer personalized services, including home delivery, to meet customers’ needs. Major pharmacy chains also provide home delivery in many locations. Over the past several years, these chains have become more accessible, thanks in part to efforts by advocacy organizations like the American Council of the Blind.

However, finding a pharmacy with a full range of accessible options under one roof has been elusive. Last summer, CVS Health, which offers ScripTalk through its website, introduced a feature in its app called SpokenRx, which can scan labels and read out the prescription information. This service is now available in over 1,000 stores.

Walmart also provides ScripTalk in nearly 1,800 Walmart and Sam's Club locations. Walgreens has implemented a Talking Pill Reminder available at no cost. However, Eric Bridges, executive director of the American Council of the Blind, mentioned that they have yet to engage with Amazon Pharmacy.