Hospitals across the U.S. are bracing for a potential shortage of intravenous fluids, also known as IV fluids, after Hurricane Helene brought the country’s biggest manufacturing plant – responsible for nearly 60% of IV fluid supply – to a halt.
It’s the latest example of a natural disaster's impact extending well beyond its immediate human toll and structural damage.
“This is definitely the number one issue for hospitals across the country right now,” said Soumi Saha, senior vice president of government affairs at Premier, a group purchasing organization for medical supplies serving thousands of facilities across all 50 states.
“The biggest unknown right now is how long the shortage will last. Is this something that is two weeks and can be mediated quickly, or is this something that's going to be impacting the healthcare supply chain for years to come?”
And unlike some other health care products, there is no strategic national stockpile of IV fluids, said Kyle MacKinnon, Premier’s senior director of operational excellence.
