Philadelphia region hospitals experiencing IV fluid shortage following Hurricane Helene
The American Hospital Association says the Biden administration should declare a national emergency amid the shortage of IV fluids caused by Hurricane Helene.
Many hospitals in the Philadelphia region are experiencing a shortage of IV fluid and have implemented conservation measures.
IV fluids are used to hydrate patients and deliver medications. But the solution of sterilized water and salt is in short supply because Hurricane Helene damaged Baxter International, a North Carolina facility that's the leading supplier of IV bags.
Dr. Jonathan Stallkamp, the chief medical officer at Main Line Health, said the system includes four acute care hospitals using about 1,000 IV bags a day. But now because the federal government is allocating them, it only has half of its normal supply.
"It means we have to change the way we do business. We have to change how we hydrate patients," Stallkamp said. "Now, we're encouraging a lot more patients with a bottle of Gatorade."
The American Hospital Association says there are already substantial shortages affecting patients that are expected to get worse. The association is asking the Biden administration to declare a national emergency to ease supply restrictions.
The Department of Health and Human Services has said it's evaluating a number of options.
"It's certainly something that's affecting hospitals across Pennsylvania and, quite frankly, across the United States," Christopher Chamberlain, the vice president of emergency management of the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, said.
Chamberlain said if the shortage gets worse, some hospitals may have to delay procedures that aren't urgent.
"Looking at elective procedures, elective surgeries, and maybe postponing them for now," he said. "Now, the challenge is those are short-term strategies."
Most hospitals are now implementing conservation measures — only using IV fluids for critical needs – hoping the government quickly finds a solution for the shortage.
The scramble is now on to find other sources of IV fluids with the federal government now controlling the limited supplies.
Hospital representatives said patients should be assured they'll get the treatments they need.