An Ontario long-term care home reduced isolation gown spend by 27 per cent over ninety days without changing suppliers or moving to a thinner product. The lever was a task-level distribution rule tied to AAMI PB70 performance levels. This anonymised facility review covers the audit, the rule and the result.
How was the baseline gown usage measured?
Store-room issue logs were matched against resident census for a full ninety-day baseline, the same way we would audit a brief or wipe. The home ran 120 residents and was issuing 1.8 gowns per resident-day across all units. Because the count was per resident-day rather than per case, the director of care could compare units against each other and see that two units were consuming nearly twice the house average for the same case mix.
Do all care tasks need a high-barrier gown?
No, and that assumption was the whole problem. AAMI PB70 levels describe barrier performance and the test method behind it, not the seriousness of the task. Level 1 covers minimal fluid contact such as feeding, mobilising and routine touching. Level 2 adds a light spray and splash barrier for bathing, bed making and most dressing changes. Level 3 adds a higher hydrostatic barrier for suctioning, wound irrigation and close contact with body fluids. Distributing Level 3 everywhere buys barrier you are not using and pays a per-unit premium for it. The Level 1 versus Level 2 versus Level 3 isolation gowns breakdown is a useful reference here.
Which PB70 level matches which care task?
The rule below was agreed with the clinical lead, posted in every soiled utility room, and reviewed at ninety days.
| Care task | Level required | Typical gowns per resident-day |
|---|---|---|
| Routine contact, feeding, mobilising | Level 1 | 0.3 – 0.5 |
| Bathing and bed making with splash risk | Level 2 | 0.6 – 0.9 |
| Wound care and dressing changes | Level 2, or Level 3 per policy | 0.4 – 0.6 |
| Suctioning and close body fluid contact | Level 3 | 0.2 – 0.4 |
| Outbreak cohort care | Level 3 | 1.0 – 1.5 |
Why does unit price alone mislead procurement?
Gown cost is unit price multiplied by volume used, and the second number is where the money hides. A Level 1 gown at a lower unit price that staff grab for a Level 3 task is not a saving, because they take two or layer a plastic apron over it. Equally, a Level 3 gown used for feeding is an overspend that no price negotiation can recover. Split the two questions. First ask whether the right level is being issued for each task. Only then negotiate the price of the level you actually need.
How was dispensing changed without switching suppliers?
The home kept the same two suppliers and the same ordering pattern. What changed was the store-room: Level 1 and Level 2 gowns moved to open carts inside each unit, level 3 stayed behind a labelled cupboard next to the suction equipment, and every issue was recorded on a simple tally sheet. That single physical change made the default the correct lower-cost option and made the audit trail automatic. Nobody had to be trained to choose the level; the shelf did the training.
What did the ninety-day numbers show?
Gown issues fell from 1.8 to 1.1 per resident-day, a drop of roughly 39 per cent in volume. Because the mix shifted toward the lower-cost levels as well, spend fell 27 per cent across the ninety days, and no unit reported a shortage during outbreak weeks. The two units that had been far above average came back to the house median within six weeks.
Which stock fits the new rule?
Two lines cover most of the matrix: the disposable Level 1 isolation gowns, non-woven fluid resistant for routine contact, and the SMMS 40 gsm Level 2 isolation gown, 50-pack for bathing, bed making and dressing changes. Both sit in the isolation gowns collection, and multi-site buyers can consolidate case quantity from the long-term care page.
Related reading
- Case review: rebuilding an LTC gown order
- Disposable isolation gowns for long-term care homes: a complete guide
- CSA Z314 vs AAMI PB70 gown standards for Canadian buyers
- sterilization record-keeping tool
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.
Buying for a facility rather than a single practice? Request a B2B quote and we will price your volume with Canadian warehouse delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all resident care tasks need a Level 3 isolation gown?
No. Level 1 covers routine contact and feeding, Level 2 covers bathing and most dressing changes, and Level 3 is reserved for suctioning, wound irrigation and close body fluid contact.
Is it less expensive to buy one level of gown for the whole home?
Usually not. Gown cost is unit price times volume used, so issuing Level 3 for every task pays a premium you never use and pushes spend up without reducing volume.
Can gown spend be cut without changing suppliers?
Yes. Moving the right level to the point of use, keeping high-barrier stock behind a labelled cupboard and recording issues cut volume per resident-day from 1.8 to 1.1 here.
How do you check that a gown distribution rule is working?
Track gowns issued per resident-day by unit for at least ninety days, compare units against the house median, and review the mix between levels rather than the total alone.
CliniEco Medical is a licensed medical device establishment (MDEL #35334).
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