Stockmen's Drug Company

Veteran pharmacist Michael Cookston is no stranger to the burden of manually tracking CIIs in a paper logbook, especially in high volume pharmacies like Stockmen’s Drug. “I started out doing it with a notebook, just on paper, checkbook style, ins and outs, and it’s horrible. One wrong number or human error can lead to counts that are off by hundreds,” Michael explains.

This manual system was simply accepted as part of pharmacy life. However, when owner Helen Ianniello announced plans to open a remote telepharmacy location, it became clear that their current processes would not support strong telepharmacy compliance. Remotely managing their perpetual inventory required greater visibility, accuracy, and accountability than a paper logbook could provide.

Mike initially attempted to rely more heavily on his pharmacy management system. While that approach helped somewhat, it still lacked critical safeguards. Back counts were not prompted or tracked effectively, and discrepancies became increasingly difficult to reconcile. “It didn’t ask us to do back counts or anything like that, and after a while it would be off. It was almost impossible to fix,” Mike recalls. Recognizing the risk to both compliance and operational efficiency, Mike urged Helen to reach out to C2 Keep.

After seeing a demo of C2 Keep and speaking with founder Roland Achenjang, they were impressed by the platform’s capabilities. Still, they hesitated. Their team was already busy, and the last thing they wanted was another complicated system. “There was a lot of grumbling at the thought of C2 Keep because it sounded like just another task,” Helen recalls.

Despite initial concerns, they decided the potential benefits outweighed the risk. Within 24 hours of going live with C2 Keep, their skepticism disappeared. The system was intuitive, easy to learn, and immediately reduced the stress surrounding controlled substance tracking. “I figured it would be a burden, but a more accurate burden,” Mike says. “Surprisingly, it is not much of a burden at all. It is actually easier.” Their technicians quickly became fans as well. Helen notes, “Our technicians absolutely love C2 Keep. It has made their lives so much easier.” Beyond CII tracking, C2 Keep allows them to monitor CIII through CV medications and additional drugs of interest like Gabapentin, further strengthening their compliance efforts.

One of the most impactful features of C2 Keep is its ability to integrate directly with pharmacy management systems and wholesalers. Rather than functioning as a disconnected tool, C2 Keep automatically captures dispensing activity and places transactions into a verification queue. “If I run a script for 30 hydrocodone, C2 Keep recognizes that and puts it in its own queue,” Mike explains.

This automation dramatically reduces the risk of human error and ensures every transaction is properly documented. For a business managing telepharmacy compliance remotely, that level of real time synchronization is essential. The efficiency gains have also translated into measurable time savings. “It will save your pharmacists at least three or four hours per week, if not more,” Mike says. By eliminating manual reconciliation and reducing discrepancies, C2 Keep allows the team to focus on patient care rather than paperwork.

The true test of any compliance system comes during an inspection. That moment arrived during a state audit at their remote telepharmacy location. In the past, inspections meant scrambling to gather paperwork and reconcile counts. There was also added pressure since inspectors need to be cautious when evaluating telepharmacy compliance practices. This time was different. “The last time the state inspector came, we had C2 Keep and everything was there. He just hit print and it provided everything he needed,” Mike recalls.

Reports were organized, inventory was accurate, and documentation was readily available. The inspector was so comfortable navigating C2 Keep that he generated custom reports himself. By the end of the visit, he was not only satisfied but impressed. He even concluded that he did not need to re-inspect their retail location since it also used C2 Keep. Furthermore, he began recommending C2 Keep to other pharmacies struggling with controlled substance compliance.

Back counting is a critical safeguard in both retail and telepharmacy compliance environments. Each time a controlled substance is dispensed, the remaining inventory must be verified against recorded quantities. In a busy pharmacy, relying on memory and manual entries leaves room for costly mistakes.

C2 Keep solves this by automatically prompting back counts after specified transactions. If a discrepancy is entered, the system generates a visible reminder to ensure follow up. “I am really confident that every time I check my inventory, it is going to be spot on,” Mike says. This feature alone significantly strengthened their controlled substance compliance strategy and reinforced confidence in their telepharmacy operations.

Operating a remote pharmacy without being physically present introduces uncertainty. “It is hard to feel confident about your counts when you are not there,” Mike explains. Before C2 Keep, that uncertainty weighed heavily on both him and Helen.

Now, with live oversight tools and the structured controls provided by C2 Keep, they can confidently manage telepharmacy compliance from anywhere. Inventory activity is transparent, discrepancies are flagged immediately, and reporting is always accessible. “To anyone running a remote pharmacy or telepharmacy, I would highly recommend looking into this,” Mike says. For Helen and Mike, C2 Keep is not just helpful. It is foundational to running a compliant and successful telepharmacy.