Banner Health is postponing some surgeries due to a national IV fluid shortage, but the hospital system has not said when it will return to its normal schedule.
Banner spokeswoman Kathy Amundson confirmed that some non-emergency procedures have been delayed or canceled since Monday at all Banner locations, including five hospitals in Colorado.
He declined to say how many people will have to wait longer for surgery or how hospitals decide which ones to prioritize.
Amandson said the hospital plans to contact affected patients. Changes are needed to ensure hydration during emergencies, she said.
“While Banner has accepted some shipments and has taken strict conservation measures, current supplies are insufficient to safely sustain normal surgical volumes,” she said in a statement.
Banner owns Northern Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, McKee Medical Center in Loveland, Fort Collins Medical Center, Sterling Regional Medical Center and East Morgan County Hospital in Brush.
At least 14 other health systems across the country are also experiencing processing delays due to shortages. Other hospital systems in Colorado have said they are working to conserve fluids but have not reported any postponements of surgeries.
The shortage began after Hurricane Helen damaged a North Carolina factory owned by Baxter International, the nation’s largest provider of intravenous or dialysis fluids. The company posted an update Thursday saying utility services at the plant have resumed, but the facility will require extensive cleaning before production can resume.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that flights from overseas factories would begin arriving Saturday and said it had invoked the Defense Production Act to ensure Baxter had the supplies it needed for the cleanup. The law would allow the government to require companies to produce critical supplies during a national emergency.
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First Published: October 18, 2024 10:54 AM
