Due to increased conservation efforts over the last week, we’re pleased to send an update that elective, arthroscopic surgical procedures projected to take 90 minutes or less will resume on Monday, December 16.
Emergent cases, fractures, and oncological procedures will continue to proceed without interruption. Arthroscopic cases expected to exceed 90 minutes in surgical time will be rescheduled to a later date. This will allow us to maintain a safe level of IV fluids for patients with critical and emergent issues.
Some things to keep in mind:
- The effects of Hurricane Helene are still being felt across the nation as Baxter struggles to keep up with national saline solution demand.
- We are not alone. The ongoing national shortage has resulted in low inventory at Onvida Health and at many other healthcare organizations across the country.
- Recently, the American Medical Association shared a survey of more than 220 health care providers and found that more than 86% of U.S. health care providers were experiencing shortages of IV fluids.
- Baxter is allocating supplies based on order history from the last six months. Here in Yuma, this presents a unique challenge since our volumes are typically lower in the summer and spike in the winter.
- Larger healthcare organizations haven’t felt the impact as deeply as smaller organizations due to their larger order history.
We know this is frustrating for our patients and thank you for your understanding as we navigate this challenge together.
