All About Accessibility: New Online Tool to Help Patients Find Accessible Pharmacy Services

 

Ohio Board of Pharmacy Executive Director Steven W. Schierholt announced this week that Ohioans who have low vision, are hard of hearing, or require language translation services can now use a new online search tool to locate Ohio pharmacies that provide accessible services.

 

The new webpage, Pharmacy.Ohio.gov/Access, allows patients and caregivers of patients requiring such services to search for pharmacies in their area and find locations that best meet their needs.

 

“The launch of this convenient online search tool highlights the Board’s ongoing commitment to ensure pharmacy services are accessible to all Ohioans,” said Director Schierholt.  “The Board is hopeful that this new webpage will help patients and their loved ones quickly identify pharmacies offering services they need to keep them healthy and safe.”  

 

Patients and caregivers using the tool can select one county or several to search for pharmacies providing accessible services. Once an area is selected, users can select from several different options of what types of services they are interested in utilizing:

• For patients with low vision: oversize font labels, prescription readers, braille labels, and more. 
  
  
• For patients who are hard of hearing: video relay services, teletypewriters, and more.
  
  
• Specific language translation services by language, including Spanish, Chinese, Nepali, Somali, and more.  

 

For instructions on how to use the webpage and a more detailed description of each of the accessible services listed within the tool, visit Pharmacy.Ohio.gov/SearchAccess.

 

This tool is made possible because of the implementation of a new rule earlier this year requiring all outpatient pharmacies in Ohio to notify the Board of Pharmacy of services they offer for patients with low vision, patients who are hard of hearing, and patients requiring language translation services. As part of the new rule, pharmacies that report offering these types of services must be able to provide them upon request.