Gammel’s Clinic & iCareRx

After spending over 25 years in Walmart’s Health and Wellness Division as a pharmacist, market manager, district manager, and regional director, Eric Shoffner was ready to return to his roots as an independent pharmacy owner in southern Arkansas. In 2016, he became the proud owner of Gammel’s Clinic Pharmacy, quickly followed by iCareRx in 2018. Despite this success, Eric still found himself burdened by the typical hardships associated with independent pharmacies and CII compliance.

Determined not to let these challenges stand in the way of his dreams, Eric reached out to C2 Keep for help. A major selling point for Eric was that C2 Keep’s CEO, Roland Achenjang, was also a pharmacist who truly understood the challenges he faced. After onboarding, C2 Keep immediately streamlined Eric’s most time-consuming burden: the receiving process, while also enhancing accountability, security, and accuracy. Beyond streamlining operations, C2 Keep helps Eric prevent the all-too-familiar heartbreak stories, giving him and his staff peace of mind.

Before C2 Keep, Eric and his team struggled with what felt like an impossible task. Eric describes manual CII compliance management as a relentless chase that felt like he and his team were “herding cats”. The process often led to lengthy reconciliation ordeals, consuming valuable time and resources. “I could forget, my team could forget, someone could skip a step or do math wrong on a manual log,” Eric explains.

As an independent pharmacy owner, Eric also felt vulnerable to diversion. With manual logbooks, forgery could go unnoticed, leaving the pharmacy exposed to risk. And even when discrepancies were identified, the most frustrating challenge was not knowing what to do next. “Even though your numbers weren’t matching and didn’t seem right, you didn’t really know which way to go,” he recalls. Ultimately, Eric’s manual workflow had too much room for error. He needed a tool that would empower him and his staff to work with confidence, accuracy, and security.

After onboarding and integrating C2 Keep into his pharmacies’ workflows, Eric immediately noticed a significant improvement in the CII compliance process. Previously, he described receiving controlled substances as his biggest challenge, and resolving it brought an immense sense of relief. Highlighting the impact of C2 Keep, Eric shared, “It literally turned that process into what could be hours and turned it into seconds.”

Beyond saving time, C2 Keep also provides Eric and his team with a newfound sense of freedom. Before using the platform, they ordered less frequently to minimize the risks associated with receiving new shipments. Now, with C2 Keep in place, Eric has the confidence to order from wholesalers whenever needed. Every new order appears front and center on the dashboard, making it easy to verify the correct amounts with just a simple check.

Another aspect of C2 Keep that Eric deeply values is the accountability and security it brings to his pharmacies. As a current independent pharmacy owner who has held many different positions in the retail pharmacy industry, Eric has witnessed firsthand the heartbreaking impact of drug diversion. In the past, relying on manual processes left him feeling vulnerable to diversion. With C2 Keep, however, no transaction data can be deleted or altered without a clear audit trail, making diversion much more difficult. Eric now has peace of mind knowing his inventory is secure and that he has full visibility into his CII compliance workflows. As Eric puts it, “If you’re struggling to track products, have concerns, or have faced issues in the past, I would highly recommend C2 Keep.”

At the core of Eric’s success is C2 Keep’s integration capabilities. For his pharmacies, the platform integrates effortlessly with their PMS, Liberty Software, as well as with their wholesalers AmerisourceBergen and McKesson. One of Eric’s favorite features of C2 Keep is its automation, which not only saves him valuable time but also eliminates human error, ensuring precise data and reports. As Eric puts it, “We can be spot-on with our narcotics on a daily basis, down to every minute, every second, and every hour. I don’t know that everyone can boast of that.” C2 Keep’s integration also makes Eric’s workflows far more adaptable. Before using the platform, sharing CII compliance data felt like a never-ending game of telephone. Now, Eric and his team no longer have to worry about errors or misinterpreting someone else’s logs.

One of the unexpected benefits of C2 Keep for Eric has been how easy it is to collaborate and grow with the platform. C2 Keep’s CEO, Roland Achenjang, a former pharmacist himself, created the product to address the CII compliance pain points he had personally experienced. Understanding the circumstances that surround an independent pharmacy owner, Roland makes customer feedback a priority, ensuring it’s incorporated into product updates. Eric shares, “He has grown with the product because he understands. He’s a pharmacist himself, and he gets it.” Throughout his experience with C2 Keep, Eric has seen his feedback directly influence updates, reinforcing the platform’s collaborative approach. This unique partnership allows pharmacists not only to benefit from the platform’s existing features but also to share their ideas and have them actively incorporated, making it the ideal compliance solution.

After using C2 Keep for over a year, Eric and his team have come to recognize two deeper aspects beyond CII compliance. The first is its impact on the greater good of the community. C2 Keep provides the tools Eric and his team need to protect not just themselves, but also their community from the dangers of opioids. As Eric puts it, “It could save someone’s license, save someone’s life, and save you from heartbreak by preventing these situations.”

The second meaningful benefit is the peace of mind it provides for independent pharmacy owners. In the high-pressure pharmacy environment, being able to perform at your best while still finding time to relax is invaluable. As Eric enthusiastically explains, “I don’t lie down at night and worry or wonder if something was missed or caught, because C2 Keep is going to do that for me, even if I forget.”