Tidal Health experiencing IV shortage due to Hurricane Helene

SALISBURY, Md.- Hurricane Helene hit the South earlier this month, causing hospitals across the East Coast to experience a shortage of IVs.

Earlier this month Tidal Health was informed that Baxter International was shutting down its plant in North Carolina due to complications from the hurricane.

A hospital IV allows doctors and nurses to deliver fluid medications or nutrients directly into a patient’s bloodstream.

Tidal Health’s Chief Medical Officer explains why these IVs are essential for the hospital’s daily functions.

Dr. Trudy Hall “IV Fluids support our patients who come through our ED, it affects the pharmacy the drugs that we make, it affects also certain surgeries and the amount of fluids, and even something like dialysis it affects our ability to do certain kinds of kidney treatments.”

Although Tidal Health is experiencing this shortage they are telling the public not to worry.

Dr. Trudy also says “Just for everybody to know there are always shortages across the nation of different products so being short is no stranger to health care but it is you know how short and for how long really is what you need to accommodate for.”

Dr. Trudy Hall also tells us that with other methods like oral hydration, the hospital has been able to conserve over thirty- two percent of the IV fluids that they use.