Community Hospital responding to IV shortage

Community Hospital Responds to Nationwide Shortage

McCOOK, Neb. – With a nationwide shortage of intravenous (IV) fluids following the temporary closure of Baxter’s manufacturing plant in Marion, North Carolina, Community Hospital is preparing by taking proactive measures to manage the current supply. Baxter Manufacturing, which produces around 1.5 million IV bags each day and supplies 60% of the nation’s IV fluids, was significantly affected by Hurricane Helene. This disruption has caused a supply chain shortage for healthcare providers nationwide, restricting their ability to place orders to as low as 60% of their usual quantities.

This situation is likely to affect patient care across the country. We have been advised to implement conservation strategies to help mitigate the impact we might feel through this limitation of supplies. While these measures are necessary, our priority remains the safety and well-being of our patients.

At this time, Community Hospital has activated its incident command to streamline internal processes, ensuring patient care remains the top priority while adapting to limited IV solution availability. Despite the challenges, no procedures have been canceled, and the hospital is focused on managing resources efficiently to maintain high-quality care.

The projected timeline for the shortage is currently three months, but we will continue to monitor and review our inventory on a daily basis. Decisions on scheduled procedures will be made with patient safety at the forefront. We encourage anyone with concerns to reach out to Community Hospital.

For more information, please contact Community Hospital at (308) 344-2650.