GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Hospitals around the country could be feeling the effects of a shortage in hospital supplies. Flooding from Hurricane Helene hit a North Carolina factory that makes up about 60% of the country's supply of sterile intravenous (IV) fluids.
Baxter International closed the factory, restricting how much supply customers can order.
As a result, some hospitals in the country are postponing non-emergent surgeries.
In West Michigan, some hospitals are conserving IV fluid use as a preventative measure. That includes Corewell Health and University of Michigan Health.
In a statement, Corewell Health is "closely monitoring the situation. We are confident in our ability to meet patient needs at this time. We are in regular communication with Baxter and are encouraging our teams to conserve IV fluids when possible."
Meanwhile, UM Health said Baxter is not their only supplier, but still working to make sure care is not impacted.
“University of Michigan Health anticipates a supply shortage in the coming weeks of large volume IV fluids because of the Baxter International situation. Baxter is not our only supplier, but to address expected shortages, we have instituted multiple conservation measures to optimize our current supply, such as not using infusion bags for non-clinical purposes and avoiding initiating fluids on patients for whom there is another clinically appropriate option. Patient safety is our top priority, and we have a dedicated team working on these measures to ensure our high-quality care is not impacted by this shortage.”
Trinity Health Michigan does not expect a significant impact in the short term but will continue to monitor the situation.
Holland Hospital's Vice President of Nursing Operations and Chief Nursing Officer, Joe Bonello, said in a statement:
“Baxter is one of our primary IV fluid suppliers and we implemented proactive strategies to conserve our existing supply to continue providing services to our community as Baxter works to restore its supply chain. We are working closely with the Michigan Hospital Association and local emergency response planners to monitor the situation and to secure additional supplies. We have not canceled any procedures and are taking these actions to avoid future cancellations.”