The American Hospital Association says the Biden administration should declare a national emergency amid the crisis shortage of IV fluids caused by Hurricane Helene.
Many hospitals in the Philadelphia region are experiencing IV fluid shortages and have implemented conservation measures.
IV fluids are used to hydrate patients and administer medications. But the solution of sterilized water and salt is scarce because Hurricane Helene damaged Baxter International, a North Carolina facility that is the leading supplier of IV bags.
Dr. Jonathan Stallkamp, Main Line Health’s chief medical officer, said the system includes four acute care hospitals that use about 1,000 IV bags per day. But because the federal government is now 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 encourage many more patients with a bottle of Gatorade.”
The American Hospital Association says there are already significant patient shortages, which are expected to worsen. 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 is evaluating a number of options.
“It’s certainly something that’s affecting hospitals in Pennsylvania and, frankly, the entire United States,” said Christopher Chamberlain, the vice president of emergency management for the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania.
Chamberlain said if the shortage worsens, some hospitals may have to postpone procedures that are not urgent.
“Looking at elective procedures, elective surgeries, and maybe postponing those for now,” he said. “The challenge now is that these are short-term strategies.”
Most hospitals are now implementing conservation measures – using only IV fluids for critical needs – in the hope that the government will quickly find a solution to the shortage.
The scramble is now on to find other sources of IV fluids, with the federal government now controlling limited supplies.
Hospital representatives said patients need to be sure they are getting the treatments they need.
Stephanie Stahl
