Switching incontinence suppliers is a high-stakes decision. Get it right and you reduce cost-per-resident-day, drop IAD rates, and free up your CNAs. Get it wrong and you spend the next six months fighting supply chain issues, sample disappointments, and family complaints about hygiene.
The directors of nursing who consistently make good supplier choices use a structured evaluation. Here's the nine-point checklist.
1. Sample availability and turnaround
Any supplier worth considering will send samples on request — and quickly. If you're waiting more than five business days for a sample box, that's a signal. Sample turnaround predicts ongoing order responsiveness.
2. Spec transparency
Ask for the full product spec sheet: absorbency capacity (in mL or grams), core composition, outer material (cloth-backed vs film), elastic structure, and FDA classification. A vendor that hesitates or sends marketing brochures instead of specs is a vendor whose product is hard to compare. Get the specs in writing before you commit.
3. Pricing structure
- Is pricing per-piece, per-case, or per-resident-day?
- Are there volume tiers, and where are the breakpoints?
- What happens to pricing if you fall below the threshold one month?
- Are there minimum order quantities?
- Are GPO contract prices honored?
Get the answers in writing. Verbal pricing changes.
4. Net terms and billing
Smaller facilities often pay on credit card. Larger ones need Net 30, 45, or 60. Ask about:
- Net terms available.
- Credit application process and approval timeline.
- Late payment policies — some suppliers freeze shipments at 60 days; others tolerate 90.
- Invoice consolidation across multiple buildings if you operate more than one site.
5. Reorder process
A good supplier makes reordering invisible. Look for:
- A self-serve reorder portal.
- Standing-order setup at a chosen cadence.
- The ability to add or remove SKUs without restarting the contract.
- Real-time inventory visibility on your account.
6. Customer support response time
Set up a small problem during the sample period — a question, a request for an additional spec sheet, a hypothetical billing scenario — and time the response. Anything over 24 hours during business hours predicts ongoing pain.
7. Clinical reference materials
A serious institutional supplier provides — at minimum — sizing guides, skin-care protocols, change-frequency recommendations by care level, and CNA training materials. These exist to support compliance and to keep your staff using the product correctly. If the supplier doesn't have them, you'll be building them yourself.
8. Skin compatibility and IAD reduction data
Ask about IAD reduction outcomes at peer facilities. Reputable suppliers can share case studies, even if the data isn't in a formal published study. Watch for:
- Cloth-like outer layer that reduces friction and trapped heat.
- Wicking core that pulls moisture away from skin.
- Latex-free, fragrance-free composition.
- Compatibility with common barrier creams — no breakdown of the outer material when zinc oxide or dimethicone is applied.
If the supplier can't speak to skin outcomes at all, they're not built for long-term care.
9. Account manager access
Ask: who is my account manager and what is their response-time commitment? If the answer is “our customer service team” or “an email address,” your facility is being treated as a transactional account, not a relationship. For 60+ bed facilities, a named account manager with a direct point of contact is the standard.
The full evaluation in practice
- Send the checklist to three suppliers.
- Score each on a 1–5 scale per criterion.
- Tally the scores; anything under 30 out of 45 disqualifies a supplier regardless of price.
- For the top two, run a 30-day trial in one wing before signing a full-facility contract.
Where Underx fits in this evaluation
Our B2B program was built around exactly this checklist. Samples ship within three business days. Full spec sheets are available on request. Net 30 terms with credit approval in five business days. A named account manager, not a queue. And IAD-reduction case data from partner facilities, including a recently-onboarded adult day care program.
If you'd like to run Underx through your check
The right supplier feels like an extension of your team — predictable, responsive, and quietly working in the background while you focus on residents. Get in touch to request samples for your facility, and we'll start the clock.