Hospitals on the Olympic Peninsula are conserving IV fluid stocks and preparing for the possible effect of national shortages after the nation’s primary manufacturer closed its doors this week.

Baxter International temporarily closed its North Carolina factory last week, following the impacts of Hurricane Helene.

Baxter is the nation’s leading IV (intravenous) fluid manufacturer and supplier, according to a Washington State Hospital Association release. They are responsible for 60 percent of the nation’s supply, around 1.5 million bags used daily.

Baxter released an update Wednesday stating that the company’s goal is to resume production and to be up to speed on providing certain IV solutions by the end of 2024.

IV fluids are vital for delivering hydration and drugs directly into the blood stream, explained a Jefferson Healthcare press release. They are crucial for patients in surgery, intensive care and critical emergency conditions.

On the Peninsula

Bobby Stone, Olympic Medical Center’s director of marketing and communications, said in a statement that the hospital had an adequate supply of IV fluids because its primary supplier, BD, had not been impacted by Hurricane Helene, which knocked out the facility of its other supplier, Baxter International.

“Both our suppliers and distributors have strong controls in place to ensure supply is being protected and distributed to OMC,” Stone said in the statement. “BD is currently allocated and protecting product for OMC at 100 percent historical usage, while Baxter is allocated product at 40 to 60 percent.”

OMC anticipated that as long as hospitals took steps to conserve IV fluid, it would continue to have a stable supply until the shortage ended.

Jefferson Healthcare is working to minimise disruptions to patient care, said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joe Mattern.

“Like many hospitals and healthcare systems across the county,” said Mattern. “Jefferson Healthcare is experiencing potential short-term and long-term strains due to the manufacturing limitations of IV solutions.”

The healthcare provider has assembled a team of doctors, directors, and support staff meeting daily to review supply and demand and make decisions about capacity, Mattern said.

“We immediately implemented conservation strategies to conserve our supply and reduce the impact on our patients,” said Mattern. “For example, medications might be delivered in smaller fluid volumes or by subcutaneous or intramuscular injection if oral is not an option. For dehydration, oral fluids would be offered before starting an IV. Clinical teams might use smaller IV bag sizes to avoid wasting fluid. When considering these conservation strategies, clinical teams approach each patient individually.

“We have started to rearrange next week’s surgery schedule, including postponing some elective procedures to prolong our supply for critical needs and emergencies.”

A statement from Forks Community Hospital, also shared on Facebook, said that the hospital would be immediately suspending non-emergency or elective procedures as a result of the shortage.

Their statement continued, “Be assured that FCH will treat each patient appropriately and will give IV solutions if medically necessary; however, it is important that we conserve our limited supply for those with an urgent medical need.”

An update from the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) said that hospitals statewide are collaborating through the Northwest Healthcare Response Network to address critical needs. Hospitals statewide are managing their own supplies and putting conservation measures in place. Some hospitals are already delaying non-emergency surgeries.

“Washington’s hospitals have worked together to face past challenges, and this issue is no different. We will work together to ensure life-saving care remains available,” WSHA President and CEO Cassie Sauer said. “Unfortunately, the current supply chain disruption means that some procedures that are not as time sensitive may be delayed. Although delays are disruptive, hospitals are continuing to provide critical services. However, the longer procedures are delayed, the sicker patients can get. It is not an acceptable long-term solution.”

Northwest Healthcare Response Network (NWHRN) leads a coalition of hospitals, healthcare organizations, and public health agencies, all working around emergency and distaster response, relating to healthcare.

“What we’re seeing has been a lot of organizations trying to assess whats the impact,” sair NWHRN executive director Onora Lien. “There’’s been both slow and fast information coming in terms of what the immediate effects to the supply chain have been. Really, it’s touching everyone.”

Lien said that it is common in disruptions like this for it to take some time for different organizations to sort out the information and how it will impact them.

“There’s been really strong collaboration (among healthcare providers) since this started,” said Lien. “That’s a really unique thing nationally, we have quite a collaborative state. Hospitals have been getting together, sharing what they know about the situation, sharing steps that they’re taking to look at what kinds of conservation strategies they can be implementing, starting to assess the own supply chains, and discuss ways that they can share resources.”

Hurricane Milton was also poised to worsen the shortage as another major manufacturer’s Florida factory was in its potential path, according to Associated Press reports. Daytona Beach-based medical manufacturer B. Braun Medical stated that they were collaborating with US health authorities Wednesday to move their IV inventory in preparation for Hurricane Milton, according to reports. A later press release from the company said that they were not impacted by the hurricane and that they have resumed normal manufacturing.

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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@sequimgazette.com.