Maryland Department of Health, The Office of Controlled Substances Administration – Sandra Cobb

The Office of Controlled Substances Administration (OCSA) processes registrations from doctors, pharmacists, hospitals, and other prescription writing and/or filling personnel and locations for the authorization to write and fill prescriptions for medication, and to process, store, label, and ship these medications.

The Office encountered a backlog in the processing of registrations for Controlled Dangerous Substances (CDS) permits. Sandra Cobb demonstrated outstanding customer service during this period that helped her team to eliminate the backlog of permit applications. She also handled customer calls and walk-ins. For the walk-ins needing to receive registrations or renewals prior to expiration dates, Sandra shined by demonstrating interpersonal skills to assuage customers’ tensions and guide them through the process. In many cases, walk-in customers failed to bring in needed paperwork. Rather than telling them to come back later, Sandra would help them get the appropriate paperwork together so that they could submit applications correctly. In the words of Sandra, “I treat people the way I want to be treated.”

The Office of Controlled Substances Administration has received many compliments from customers and from her co-workers about her attitude and approach to achieving the Office’s mission. In addition to helping eliminate the backlog, the Office was able to implement process improvements to improve the cycle time of processing applications while maintaining the rigor this work requires.

The Office of Controlled Substances Administration Team – (left to right – back row) Tiffany Lovett, Sharein Greene, Robert Pelakakis, Jim Polek, Christopher Morton, Lisa Ellis, (middle row) Cynithia Gethers, Andrea Mack, Sandra Cobb, Carl Norman, Lisa Ridolfi, and Department of Health Chief Administrative Officer Lisa Ellis, (front row) Olivia James, Audrey Clark. Not present in the photo: Sharell Myers, Fred Evans, Howard Minster, and Sandra Yankosky