As the U.S. healthcare industry continues to experience intravenous fluid shortages in the wake of Hurricane Helen, a West Virginia hospital system has its own plan to conserve intravenous fluids, which are widely used throughout medical procedures. said a representative from the state hospital association. .
Hospitals asked to conserve IV fluids after Baxter manufacturing plant in North Cove, North Carolina, closes Due to hurricane damage. This factory is the country's largest manufacturer of both intravenous fluids and dialysis fluids.
“Hospitals are implementing organization-specific plans to conserve IV fluids,” said Harry Morgan, vice president of quality and data services for the West Virginia Hospital Association. “That could mean anything from using alternative fluid sources, such as using oral rehydration solutions or using small doses, to postponing some procedures chosen to keep critically ill patients hydrated. There is a possibility.”
IV fluids are used to administer medications and nutrients and to clean and clean the surgical site. Most hospitals in West Virginia receive IV fluids from Baxter, Morgan said.
Dr. Todd Karpinski, chief pharmacy officer at WVU Medicine, said the facility is working to conserve product, but so far there have been “very few” cases in which elective procedures have been delayed due to shortages. Ta.
“The cases we've had so far have been again very minor, but they're very selective, mostly orthopedic cases, and they require a lot of irrigation fluid,” Kalpin said. Mr. Ski said.
Mon Health Systems in the Morgantown area is also a Baxter customer, but so far the impact on the hospital has been minimal, Vandalia Health Systems spokesman Dale Witte said. Vandalia Health is comprised of Mon Health, Charleston Area Medical Center, and Davis Health System.
“At this point, the impact is minimal because we are managing it as a system,” Witte wrote in an email to West Virginia Watch. “Several conservation efforts have been implemented to avoid using unnecessary liquids, including using the most appropriately sized liquid bags and sourcing products from other vendors.”
Although CAMC Health System and Davis Health System have different IV fluid vendors, they have been able to share some supplies, Witte said.
Baxter's latest work Wednesday updatethe company wrote that it will increase allocation to customers and distributors of the most in-demand IV fluids to 60%. of The company said last week The goal is to reopen factories in stages and return to 90% full customer allocation for specific products by the end of the year.
The shortage comes as hospitals across the country prepare for the fall and winter season, when cases of influenza and coronavirus infections increase historically.
“We hope that our mitigation strategies and increased allocations will not impact the flu and potential coronavirus season,” Karpinski said.
Morgan said Baxter will increase allocations to customers in the coming months and, with help from the federal government, hospitals will work together to address the shortage.
“I think hospitals will be able to work together and work together to ensure they have the supplies they need to treat patients in the acute respiratory stage,” Morgan said.
Karpinski said WVU Medicine has been affected by the shortage, but clinicians are working to find alternatives to IVs and irrigation, and the organization has no plans to cancel surgeries all together.
In a statement Friday, state Department of Health spokeswoman Gaylyn Markham said the department is “closely monitoring” the shortage and that it is having a significant impact on West Virginia health care providers and patients. He said he understood.
The state's Threat Response Center said it is surveying health care providers to assess West Virginia's IV fluid supply, with the goal of ensuring health care facilities have the resources they need.
“The department will continue to work closely with state and federal agencies to monitor the situation and support health care providers,” Markham said. “These efforts will continue until supply chains are restored.”
State hospital association representatives said they recognized the collaborative response by government, health care providers and industry stakeholders to the shortage.
of Federal Government Allows Shipping of liquids from overseas Baxter facilities. Promote consideration of extending the best-before date. us health officials contributed to the movement of supplies Intravenous fluid was supplied from a manufacturing plant in Florida in advance of Hurricane Milton.
“We appreciate your continued efforts to alleviate the shortage,” Morgan said.
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