Detroit area hospitals brace for possible national IV shortage as a result of Hurricane Helene

FOX 2 - Hurricane Helene is impacting us in ways we never would have thought, causing a possible nationwide, IV solution shortage.

Hospitals in Metro Detroit are bracing for it after the plant that supplies 60 percent of the solution in the US shut down. At this point all hospitals in Michigan are being told to conserve their IV bags.

"It's an issue that's affecting hospitals all over the country," said John Karasinski.

Flood waters damaged roads and wiped out a bridge that leads to the Baxter Healthcare Corp plant last week near Asheville, N.C.

As a result, it's causing the shortage of one of the most essential tools to administer medicine.

"A lot of them do rely or purchase materials from Baxter," he said.

Karasinksi is a spokesperson with the Michigan Health and Hospital Association says its capturing the attention of the 128 hospitals in the state they represent.

The situation has caused rationing of IVsolution and dextrose - a sugar fluid and dialysis solution which treats patients with kidney failure.

"It seems like it will vary by each hospital and health system based on how much IV solution they have," Karasinksi said.

Corewell Health says they're in constant communication with Baxter - and are encouraging their teams to conserve IV fluids when possible.

The University of Michigan Health System is doing the same. They say, in a statement in part: "University of Michigan Health anticipates a supply shortage in the coming weeks of large volume IV fluids of the Baxter International situation."

And Henry Ford Health - says they too, are optimizing supply. All three hospital systems say patient care is paramount.

"We are aware that Baxter is receiving a lot of help at that facility through FEMA and other state officials to move some of the material that is available at that facility," said Karasinksi.

Baxter put out new information Monday - saying that it has resumed some shipments to hospitals and dialysis patients after last week's temporary hold.

The company says it is working on 'Plan B,' as they make substantial repairs in and around the plant.

"We are also in communication with federal officials to see if alternative Baxter facilities may be able to be approved to distribute some of their solutions too," said Karasinksi.

Some good news - a rock bridge was cobbled together to transport remaining stock from Baxter while power has been restored to the plant.