Medium is the largest single size in almost every clinic, and a workable opening mix is about 30 percent small, 45 percent medium, 20 percent large and 5 percent extra small. That is a starting point, not a target: the real mix comes from counting which boxes stay sealed at the end of the quarter. The nitrile examination gloves, 3.5 mil, 1,000 per case are usually the line where the first mismatch becomes visible.
Why does medium dominate a glove order?
Because medium fits the widest range of hands, and because staff who sit between sizes usually size up for comfort during long procedures. The result is that medium runs out first and extra small sits untouched.
That pattern is stable enough to plan around. The mistake is ordering equal quantities of every size to keep the shelf symmetrical, which guarantees a shortage on one size and dead stock on another.
How do you measure the mix instead of guessing?
Count the sealed boxes remaining at the end of the quarter by size, and compare that with what was ordered. If nine large boxes remain out of twelve ordered, the large size is over-ordered by roughly three boxes a quarter, and that is the adjustment.
Do the same for each clinical area. A surgical suite and a hygiene bay pull different mixes, and a single practice-wide number hides the difference.
| Size | Opening mix | Symptom of over-ordering | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra small | 5 percent | Boxes unopened at quarter end | Order one box, not a case |
| Small | 30 percent | Consistent surplus | Reduce by a box per order |
| Medium | 45 percent | Runs out first | Increase share |
| Large | 20 percent | Sealed boxes remain | Cut the case, keep boxes |
What does a wrong mix actually cost?
Two things: the dead stock itself, and the expedited order for the size that ran out. The expedited order is usually a retail purchase at a higher unit price, so the cost of a wrong mix is larger than the value of the boxes sitting unused.
There is a third cost that rarely appears on a report: staff improvising with the wrong size. A glove that is too large reduces grip during procedures and a glove that is too small tears at the cuff, and both increase consumption of the sizes that do fit.
How many boxes should a clinic hold?
Four to six weeks of the sizes that move and one spare box of the sizes that barely move. That is enough to absorb a late delivery without turning the storeroom into a warehouse for a size nobody wears.
Review the whole holding quarterly. A clinic that changes staff or adds a chair will see the mix move within a month, and a quarterly review catches it before the annual budget does.
Does glove type change the sizing?
Yes, slightly. Thicker gloves feel tighter at the same nominal size, so a clinic moving from a 4 mil to a 6 mil line for a heavy-duty task may find staff sizing up. Chemotherapy-rated gloves are longer at the cuff, which changes how the size feels at the wrist.
When a clinic changes line, run a small trial on one chair before replacing the whole order. A sizing surprise across a case of 1,000 gloves is an expensive way to learn something a single box would have shown.
Related reading
sterilization monitoring collection; glove par levels per chair per month; first-year pouch and strip volumes; wholesale and multi-site ordering Reselling? become a distributor.
Print the monthly supply checklist, size the next order with the clinic supply planner, and set up wholesale ordering so case pricing and account terms sit on one invoice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What glove size mix should a clinic start with?
About 30 percent small, 45 percent medium, 20 percent large and 5 percent extra small, then correct it from the sealed boxes at quarter end.
Why does medium always run out first?
It fits the widest range of hands, and staff between sizes usually size up for comfort during long procedures.
Should all sizes be ordered in equal quantities?
No. Equal quantities guarantee a shortage on one size and dead stock on another.
CliniEco Medical is a licensed medical device establishment (MDEL #35334).
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