Surgery schedules across the nation are expected to face delays for several weeks as a critical manufacturing plant for intravenous (IV) and sterile fluids remains closed due to damage caused by a hurricane. Many individuals often schedule non-emergency surgeries during the fall and early winter months to maximize their insurance coverage. However, healthcare systems are now prioritizing supplies for urgent cases, requiring patients to wait. Erin Fox, who serves as the associate chief pharmacy officer at the University of Utah Health, stated, “It’s not great for patients, but it’s kind of doing the most good with what you have.”
In response to the supply chain issues following Hurricane Helene, federal authorities and medical suppliers have initiated several measures to alleviate the shortage that has resulted from the closure of Baxter International’s North Carolina facility. This factory plays a vital role, producing around 60% of the intravenous solutions used daily in the United States. It also manufactures fluids necessary for patients requiring home dialysis and sterile water for surgical procedures. However, the heavy flooding caused by the storm has led to road washouts and water damage within the plant, prompting its shutdown, even though no structural damage was reported.
Healthcare facilities began rationing fluid supplies soon after the plant’s closure. Some institutions opted to substitute IV fluids with alternatives like Gatorade or regular water for patients who are able to consume liquids. Hospitals have also begun to defer elective procedures that can be postponed, affecting various surgeries, including orthopedic and cardiac operations, as informed by Dr. Chris DeRienzo, chief physician executive for the American Hospital Association. Additionally, Baxter has restricted the amount of fluid supplied to medical distributors and healthcare organizations. The availability of products will vary based on how dependent a particular facility is on Baxter’s supplies, as explained by Nancy Foster, a vice president at the hospital association.
To tackle the supply shortages, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has permitted the temporary importation of fluids from Baxter facilities in other countries. Furthermore, the company has begun to lift some limitations on its distribution of supplies. Competing company B. Braun Medical has ramped up its production in its Daytona Beach, Florida facility, which remained unscathed by the hurricane, as well as at another site in California. Moreover, the FDA has introduced temporary guidelines intended to assist compounding pharmacies in manufacturing specific IV medications that are currently in limited supply.
Experts in supply chains express cautious optimism about improvements in the situation, although they cannot guarantee that current measures will completely offset the impact of the plant’s closure. Fox indicated that uncertainty remains, as the quantities Baxter has designated for them do not consistently align with the supplies accessible through their distributors. Foster noted that hospitals prefer to maintain a surplus of supplies on hand to accommodate both scheduled surgeries and emergency cases, but cautioned that attaining that status may take some time.
As the situation develops, hospitals and surgical centers face an increasingly busy season. The onset of cold and flu season tends to strain hospital resources, while patients are prone to scheduling more procedures toward year-end to avoid higher out-of-pocket expenses resulting from renewed deductibles in January.
Regarding the reopening of Baxter’s factory, power and water services have since been restored. Employees at the North Carolina facility have conducted a thorough cleaning of production areas and are currently in the process of testing and repairing machinery. Baxter has announced plans to gradually restart production by year’s end and anticipates lifting some restrictions on customer orders by that time. However, the company has not provided a specific timeline for when production will return to pre-hurricane levels.