Some surgeries have been postponed indefinitely as all Minnesota hospitals maintain intravenous fluids amid ongoing shortages

Surgeries scheduled for Monday have been canceled across metros as hospitals across the state and across the country work to conserve intravenous fluids amid massive shortages.

Baxter International supplies 60 percent of the nation’s intravenous fluids, causing major supply chain disruption after the company’s manufacturing plant in North Carolina closed last week due to flooding and damage from Hurricane Helen.

As the repercussions continue, fear grows among patients who have no end in sight to this deficiency.

Yvonne Himes of Farmington discovered last month that she had a cancerous mass in her left kidney.

Himes said she immediately scheduled the first available surgery for Oct. 8 at Abbott Northwestern Hospital.

When asked about the urgency of her condition, Hamza said her understanding was that it was “fairly urgent.”

“You should go because it’s taking up your whole kidney,” she continued. It was devastating. “I was terrified.”

Then, on Sunday, she received a cancellation call, and wasn’t told when it would be rescheduled.

“The longer it takes, the more life-threatening it becomes. It makes me angry,” Himes said. “The risk I have is that it will spread. “It will spread.”

Hamza is not alone. In an interview Monday, Dr. Rahul Kuran, president and CEO of the Minnesota Hospital Association, said every hospital in the state is maintaining intravenous fluids.

When asked if there was any end in sight to the shortage and when patients could expect to reschedule their appointments, he said: “Well, it all depends on how quickly other manufacturing plants can increase their supplies, and how quickly the company can Baxter. Get back online.”

“That’s the reality that we’re dealing with now, you know, and we’re trying to do the best we can in our mission of care.”

Dr. Curran could not say how many procedures have been postponed indefinitely, but he said only some hospitals have done so so far, including Allina Health System, which includes Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Fairview Health Services and Hennepin Healthcare. .

“Allina Health’s priority is patient safety. As part of our conservation efforts, we have temporarily adjusted non-emergency surgeries and other procedure schedules to ensure patients with the most urgent needs receive the care they need,” an Allina Health spokesperson wrote in an updated statement on Monday.

M Health Fairview provided a statement that said in part: “In response to the shortage, we are taking proactive measures to manage our supplies and prioritize essential patient needs. This includes modifying our inventory management, centralizing storage, and modifying elective procedures for maintaining intravenous fluids.

A Hennepin Healthcare spokesperson said the hospital is “actively addressing parenteral product administration concerns, conservation strategies, and potential impacts to ensure continuity of care for our patients. As a result, we have had to cancel or reschedule some non-emergency (surgical) procedures, and patients are being notified of these changes.”

“Hospitals are looking at non-emergency, non-urgent surgeries and postponing them so that care for other patients with more serious conditions can continue without interruption,” Dr. Curran said.

As Himes waits impatiently by phone, she wonders how hospitals draw that line.

“If I want to live, it’s not optional. For me, that makes it life-threatening,” she said.

baxter international, In a late afternoon updateShe said she has recovered some intravenous fluids from the damaged plant and is shipping them to help in the short term. The company also said some of its international factories have begun ramping up production for shipment to the United States as the North Carolina site remains out of service.

We also reached out to Health Partners and the much smaller Ridgeview Health System. The procedures have not been canceled yet. Ridgeview was still planning its conservation strategy as of this report.

HealthPartners issued the following statement:

“We closely monitor our supply and use of intravenous fluids. We are actively developing inventory management strategies, which may include adjustments to planned procedures as necessary. We will continue to address patients’ needs thoughtfully and appropriately as circumstances evolve.“

Full statement from Allina Health:

“Our thoughts are with the communities recovering from the catastrophic damage caused by Hurricane Helen. The Baxter manufacturing facility in North Carolina is temporarily offline due to this major weather event, causing intravenous fluid shortages impacting Allina Health and other healthcare systems across the country This is a rapidly evolving situation. Allina Health is working with the Minnesota Hospital Association, the American Hospital Association, and state and federal officials to ensure all options are on the table to increase supplies to meet the care needs of our patients.

Allina Health’s priority is patient safety. As part of our conservation efforts, we have temporarily adjusted non-emergency surgeries and other procedure schedules to ensure patients with the most urgent needs get the care they need. Rescheduling and delaying non-emergency surgeries and procedures are decisions that Allina Health does not take lightly, because we understand the impact on our patients and providers. We are communicating directly with patients who may be affected by these schedule changes and will work to prioritize rescheduled procedures as soon as we are able to do so safely.

Full statement from Hennepin Healthcare:

“Hennepin Healthcare is actively addressing parenteral product administration concerns, conservation strategies, and potential impacts to ensure continuity of care for our patients. As a result, we have had to cancel or reschedule some non-emergency (surgical) procedures, and patients are being notified of these changes.”

We are also in contact with other healthcare systems to coordinate efforts and resources as needed during this difficult time.

Full statement from M Health Fairview:

“Due to damage to our manufacturing facility in Baxter North Cove, North Carolina due to Hurricane Helen, our hospital system is experiencing a reduced supply of intravenous (IV) fluids.

In response to the shortage, we are taking proactive measures to manage our supplies and prioritize essential patient needs. This includes modifying our inventory management, centralizing storage, and modifying elective procedures for maintaining intravenous fluids. We communicate directly with patients who may be affected by surgery schedule changes.

Rescheduling and delaying surgeries are decisions we do not make lightly, and we understand the impact they have on our patients. We are working closely with the Minnesota Hospital Association, state and federal officials, supply chain leaders and our clinical teams to evaluate additional relief options and to ensure the safety and quality of care remain unchallenged as we manage this temporary disruption.“