Cherry Street Pharmacy

At Cherry Street Pharmacy, Wenbo Liu and his staff are all about operational efficiency. However, their previous method of using manual paper logbooks to manage controlled substances proved to be ineffective. Barred with the responsibility of giving his team the tools needed for success, Wenbo took it upon himself to find a solution. This led him to stumble upon C2 Keep, a fully integrated controlled substances inventory management and compliance tool.

This case study analyzes Wenbo’s journey with C2 Keep and how it reimagined his controlled substance workflows with transformative time savings, enhanced accountability and security, streamlined compliance reporting, and effortless document management.

Like many newly established pharmacies, Cherry Street Pharmacy initially relied on paper logbooks to track controlled substances. However, as the business grew, owner Wenbo Liu quickly realized that this manual system was inefficient and unsustainable. Managing dispensing logs while ensuring compliance became increasingly cumbersome, with disorganized records consuming valuable time and raising security concerns. Wenbo recalled that “one of my pharmacists was afraid his signatures or initials might be forged”. Determined to find a better solution, Wenbo took matters into his own hands and began searching for a more secure, accurate, and efficient way to manage controlled substances.

During his search for a solution, Wenbo discovered C2 Keep, a platform that addressed all of his controlled substance management challenges. However, the idea of partnering with a startup initially felt daunting. Despite his hesitation, Wenbo recognized C2 Keep’s potential to eliminate his pharmacy’s biggest pain points and decided to learn more. He reached out to C2 Keep CEO Roland Achenjang, taking the first step toward a transformative change. Reflecting on his decision, Wenbo shares: “Like all business owners, taking the first step is probably the most fearful. But once you take that first step, the water is actually quite nice, and you keep going”.

Looking back on the onboarding process, Wenbo recalls a seamless experience, stating, “The onboarding was pretty simple because C2 Keep is so easy to use.” The only minor hiccup Cherry Street Pharmacy encountered was an issue with EDI data pulling over. Fortunately, the C2 Keep support team quickly resolved the issue, ensuring a smooth transition. Since then, Wenbo affirms that the system continues to run flawlessly.

Wenbo implemented C2 Keep at Cherry Street Pharmacy with the primary goal of enhancing operational efficiency. Almost immediately, he and his team recognized the immense value of C2 Keep’s integration capabilities. By seamlessly connecting with their pharmacy management system, PioneerRx, and wholesaler, McKesson, C2 Keep automatically syncs dispensing logs and purchase orders, eliminating the need for manual data entry. Beyond streamlining daily workflows, C2 Keep also delivered significant time savings in managing controlled substance records. With all records stored electronically in a centralized system, locating past entries and reconciling errors became faster and more efficient. Summarizing the impact, Wenbo shares: “Switching to C2 Keep allowed us to streamline operations, making things less burdensome and cumbersome for the staff”.

While operational efficiency was a top priority, Wenbo and his team knew that security was just as crucial. Without a reliable way to track controlled substances, their efforts would be in vain. That’s why Cherry Street Pharmacy was particularly impressed with C2 Keep’s comprehensive tracking capabilities, which provide full visibility into all controlled substance activity. Describing their experience, Wenbo shares: “We can see everything, everywhere, and if something doesn’t add up, we can identify the issue immediately.” This heightened level of oversight has given Wenbo and his team greater control, eliminating a major headache that pharmacists and staff previously faced when relying on paper logbooks.

For pharmacies, operational efficiency and compliance are deeply connected, especially when it comes to regulatory reporting, a task that is often time-consuming and susceptible to human error. However, Wenbo and his team describe C2 Keep as a game changer in simplifying and improving the accuracy of these reports. By automating logging, dispensing, and inventory management, C2 Keep not only streamlines compliance efforts but also enhances accuracy and accountability. Summarizing the impact, Wenbo shares, “Being able to electronically log, dispense, and manage our controlled inventory allows us to stay in better compliance with the state, the DEA, and ultimately operate much more efficiently.”