Scheduling an order ten days before a patient's next refill is an example of:

• A. Just in time ordering
• B. Economic order quantity
• C. Blanket order
• D. Safety stock

Answer: (A)

Timing replenishment to match demand, known as Just-In-Time ordering, is being illustrated. Scheduling an order ten days before a patient’s next refill aims to have the medication arrive exactly when it’s needed, keeping inventory lean and reducing carrying costs and risk of expiration. This relies on reliable supplier lead times and predictable demand, so stock on hand is minimized while still meeting patient needs.

Economic order quantity focuses on choosing an optimal order size to minimize total costs, not the timing of when orders are placed relative to demand. A blanket order is a standing agreement for future purchases, not a single forecast-driven timing of a refill. Safety stock is extra inventory kept to buffer against variability, which isn’t the goal of aligning an order with the refill cycle.