Hospitals urge federal action, move to mitigate storm, strike supply chain disruptions

Editor's Note

In the wake of Hurricane Helene and the recent Gulf Coast port strikes, hospitals are raising alarms and pursuing their own strategies for mitigating supply chain disruption even as a second hurricane—Milton—bears down on Florida.

As of October 7, dozens of Florida healthcare facilities had suspended services and/or issued mandatory evacuation orders, ABC News reports.

Also October 7, the American Hospital Association (AHA) urged the Biden Administration to take action to address IV shortages resulting from the temporary shuttering of a Baxter International manufaturing facility. “Our members are already reporting substantial shortages of these lifesaving and life-supporting products,” reads a letter to the administration. “Patients across America are already feeling this impact, which will only deepen in the coming days and weeks unless much more is done to alleviate the situation and minimize the impact on patient care.”

Along with recent strike by US port workers, which began October 1, the effect of Baxter’s North Cove plant closure was a particular subject of concern among leaders cited in an October 7 Becker’s Hospital Review report about how different facilities are coping with the intersecting crises. Examples include:

• Leveraging stockpiled essential supplies and is dedicating staff to ensuring supply chain resiliency. Meanwhile, digital tools integrated with electronic health records help keep communications open
• Finding new ways to source IV fluids by leveraging guidelines from national medical association
• Emphasizing conservation, not just by limiting use of essential products but also by employing alternatives to IV delivery
• Cancelling select, non-emergency and elective surgeries in order to conserve limited IV stock
• Focusing on the use of various communication channels, including email, departmental updates and on-screen alerts, to keep staff informed

The full Becker’s report offers more context from specific leaders and hospitals.