Flooding caused by Hurricane Helene
New York State is assessing potential impacts on IV fluid supplies following Hurricane Helene.
Governor Kathy Hochul said that while there is no official shortage of intravenous fluid in New York at this time, the state is actively coordinating with federal officials and local health officials to assess the impact of any current or future disruption. As this situation develops, the State stands ready to receive additional supplies of IV fluids that may be procured by the federal government based on local needs.
The current disruption to the IV fluid supply chain has been caused by the remnants of Hurricane Helene, which forced the closure of the Baxter plant in Marion, North Carolina. Baxter is working with the federal government to manage their inventory and minimize supply disruption as they work to fully restore their manufacturing operations. Baxter supplies upwards of 60 percent of IV fluids used in the United States, including in New York State.
The New York State Department of Health issued guidance on October 9 to health care providers statewide as part of a multifaceted response to limitations on shipments of intravenous fluid (IV) as a result of the impact of Hurricane Helene. Guidance has been distributed to hospitals and diagnostic and treatment centers, including ambulatory surgery centers and end stage renal disease facilities and clinics; long-term care facilities including nursing homes, adult care facilities and home care and hospice providers; and emergency medical services.
While there is no official shortage in New York State at this time, these entities are being asked to adopt proactive strategies to conserve IV fluid to ensure available stock is used effectively and efficiently.
In addition to providing guidance, the State Department of Health is gathering information from providers to assess provider supply status and identify critical needs.
The State Department of Health is also coordinating with organizations that represent health care facilities to ensure that it has a complete picture of the situation. In addition to this, the Department has implemented its incident command system in response to this situation which allows expedited response and coordination activities to take place.
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