Ordering Disposable Underpads in Bulk: Par Levels for Canadian Clinics
What Does a Par Level Mean for Disposable Underpads?
A par level keeps a clinic working between orders without tying up cash and shelf space. For underpads it is driven by how many patient contacts involve incontinence, not by room count. The case format makes the arithmetic easy: the Adult Underpads 60 × 90 cm, 5-Layer with SAP, 500 ct case is ten boxes of fifty, so a par can be set in whole cases.
How Many Pads Does a Clinic Use in a Week?
Count patient contacts where a pad is used, then add a share for spills and procedure prep. A two-room clinic seeing six incontinent patients a day, five days a week, uses about 30 pads a week; four rooms at fifteen a day over six days use 90; eight rooms at thirty a day over six days use 180. Those are the only inputs the table needs.
| Clinic profile | Pads a week | Weeks one 500-pad case lasts | Par to hold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two rooms, 6 pads a day, 5 days | 30 | About 17 weeks | 1 case |
| Four rooms, 15 pads a day, 6 days | 90 | About 5.5 weeks | 2 cases |
| Eight rooms, 30 pads a day, 6 days | 180 | Under 3 weeks | 3 cases |
How Much Space Does a Bulk Order Take Up?
Less than the count suggests. Vacuum-compressed packaging removes roughly 70% of the volume of loose pads, so a 500-pad case fits on one shelf where loose packs would need three — which changes the par decision for clinics that refused a case over storage. Keep the case sealed until the first box is opened, and store it flat.
Does Canadian Regulation Set a Par Level for Clinics?
No, and the distinction matters when a clinic copies a long-term care policy. Ontario Regulation 246/22 requires every licensee of a long-term care home to ensure that supplies, equipment and devices are readily available to meet residents' nursing and personal care needs, and it sets a continence care program alongside it. That duty falls on licensed homes, not on physician offices or walk-in clinics, so a clinic's par level can follow its own consumption pattern instead of a regulatory formula.
Which Underpad Belongs on an Exam Table?
The 60 × 90 cm five-layer pad with a super absorbent polymer core and a leak-proof back sheet suits a table, a chair and a trolley at once. The back sheet matters more than the surface layer: a pad that lets fluid through protects nothing. For the same patients between pad changes, Day Comfort Adult Briefs, 3,000 ml pair with Disposable Washcloths, 10 × 13 in for the clean-up step.
When Should the Par Sheet Be Reviewed?
Twice a year, and after any change in patient mix. A clinic that adds a procedure room or starts seeing a geriatric panel moves from one case to two faster than the calendar suggests. Review the sheet against actual pulls from the storage room, not the last order — the last order reflects the old par.
Working in a care home or home care program? See our long-term care supplies.
Ordering for a clinic, lab or care home? Wholesale and multi-site ordering covers case pricing and account setup, and the B2B wholesale collection lists the lines stocked for institutional buyers. Reselling? become a distributor.
References
- Ontario Regulation 246/22 — General, under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021 (checked 18 October 2026)
- ISO 13485:2016 — Medical devices, quality management systems (checked 18 October 2026)
Printable companion: the compliance log sheets include a supply count line so the par sheet and the shelf agree at month end.
Setting the first par for a new room or a second site? The clinic supply planner converts patient volumes into pads per week and cases per quarter.
Related Reading
- How Often Do Clinics Restock Disposable Underpads?
- How Do You Set Par Levels for a Canadian Clinic? A Stocking Formula
- Underpad Absorbency in Millilitres: How to Match a Pad to a Resident
Frequently Asked Questions
How many underpads should a small clinic keep in stock?
One case of 500 pads suits a two-room clinic using about 30 pads a week: the case covers roughly four months. Hold a second case only when the clinic sees these patients daily and has a dry shelf for it.
How long does a 500-pad case last?
Divide 500 by the pads used each week: 30 gives about 17 weeks, 90 gives about five and a half, 180 gives under three. Order to the faster number, not the average, because one busy month can empty a shelf.
Do used underpads go into medical waste?
Only when they are saturated with blood. Urine and faeces alone do not make a pad biomedical waste, and Ontario's rules exclude them unless visibly bloodied. Pads that are not blood-saturated go out with general waste, so the pad you choose has little effect on disposal cost.
Is a 60 by 90 cm underpad too large for an exam table?
It covers the width of a standard exam table and drapes over the edges, which keeps the sheet underneath dry during a procedure. A smaller pad leaves the edge exposed; the 60 by 90 cm format covers tables, chairs and trolleys alike.
Last updated: October 2026. CliniEco Medical is a licensed medical device establishment (MDEL #35334).
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