(Atlantic) Officials at Cass Health reported that the organization has been closely monitoring its IV fluid supplies in response to nationwide concerns regarding its continued availability.
Hurricane Helene flooding caused damage to Baxter, which is the country’s largest manufacturer of intravenous (IV) fluids used in the United States. Cass Health is one of the thousands of entities regularly supplied by Baxter. The company has reported that it may take several months for the business to fully recover.
“We are preparing for the fact that IV fluids have become increasingly difficult to secure. While the state and federal governments are working on larger remediation efforts, locally we have put plans into place to help us cope with this disruption. We immediately began discussing this issue and putting conservation practices into place,” said Chief Operating Officer Amanda Bireline.
Conservation practices for IV fluids may include decreasing total fluid amounts during certain procedures where it is safe to do so or working with patients on alternative treatments and hydration strategies. Meanwhile, Cass Health’s Incident Command group is reviewing daily inventories of its IV supplies throughout the facility.
“We hold a safety huddle where all departments gather to discuss all safety concerns. A potential IV shortage is at the top of our priority list, and so it is part of our daily conversation. How much do we have? When and where are we planning to use it? Are there alternative options? Because at the end of the day, we are committed to providing the care our patients need in the safest, most efficient way possible, while also making sure we’re prepared for whatever lies ahead,” said Bireline.
