Patient safety nonprofit releases guidance for navigating medical supply chain disruptions caused by Hurricane Helene

Updated October 15, 2024, with a new, expanded report

The healthcare supply chain is experiencing shortages due to destruction caused by Hurricane Helene along the southeast coast of the U.S. Since a Baxter International Inc. facility in North Carolina halted production due to hurricane damage, medical facilities are experiencing shortages of normal saline, dialysis solutions, and additional IV products that are critical for patient care.

ECRI, a healthcare quality and safety organization with the industry’s most comprehensive medical supply chain datasets, is closely monitoring the situation and released an expanded resource for healthcare leaders to mitigate the risks of certain supply shortages from the Baxter site.

ECRI published a market analysis and functional equivalents device report designed to help healthcare providers navigate shortages caused by the Baxter facility shutdown. The expanded report from ECRI’s unique database and experts identifies Baxter IV and irrigation solutions affected by the plant closure and all equivalent and alternative products from other manufacturers.

DOWNLOAD THE SUPPLY CHAIN REPORT

“We are actively supporting our supply chain partners in their efforts to ensure patients receive the safest and most efficient care possible, especially during times of supply disruption,” added Browne. “Our teams are reaching out directly to clients and partners to provide data-informed guidance. By sharing ECRI’s insights, we hope we’re able to help keep more medical facilities stocked with the supplies their patients need for life-saving care.”

For media inquiries, contact Yvonne Rhodes at YRhodes@ECRI.org.

The original version of this press release was published October 1 and noted that ECRI was also monitoring the impact of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) strike. October 1 marked the beginning of a strike by U.S. dockworkers with ILA, which was expected to stop the flow of a wide variety of goods over the docks of almost all cargo ports from Maine to Texas. At that point, ECRI supply team experts anticipated that although it would take some time to see how the strike would impact the availability of critical supplies, significant disruptions in the medical device supply chain were expected if the situation persisted. However, the strike lasted approximately three days.