Baxter has provided its final update for 2024 on the recovery of its North Cove, North Carolina, manufacturing facility following the unprecedented flooding caused by Hurricane Helene.
Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operators nationwide have been closely monitoring these updates due to the critical role North Cove plays in the supply of IV solutions and other essential products.
While reports of ASCs needing to pull back on procedures due to the situation are no longer widespread, one instance in Minnesota was highlighted recently by The Free Press.
“The Mankato Surgery Center has been limiting certain elective surgeries that require a significant volume of intraoperative fluids,” Garret Hilgendorf, administrator of the orthopedic surgery center, told The Free Press. “Due to the shortage, we receive a weekly allocation. We are working to schedule patients for upcoming surgeries and are encouraged that Baxter has restored operations at its North Carolina plant.”
Eight out of 10 manufacturing lines are now back online, representing approximately 85% of the facility’s pre-hurricane production capacity, plant officials said in their update dated 12/19.
“While the recently restarted lines will require time to ramp up, some of the earlier lines to restart are operating near pre-hurricane levels,” officials said.
As of Dec. 16, Baxter had increased product allocations for specific peritoneal dialysis (PD) solutions, the company stated.
Baxter anticipates achieving full production across the North Cove site early in Q1 2025. Despite advances, it will take time for products to flow fully through distribution channels, the update said. The company projects that allocations for affected product groups will be lifted during Q1 2025.
“Conservation efforts for IV and PD solutions across the healthcare system remain essential to supplement allocation levels and help preserve supply, and we are grateful for our customers’ efforts in this area,” the update stated.
While the fluid supply is recovering, there may be a few additional bumps in the road in 2025.
The Food and Drug Administration [FDA] on 12/4/24 placed IV fluid containers of all sizes on its list of medical device shortages, with the scarcity anticipated to continue until at least March 2025. This shortage impacts various types of IV containers and bags.
The agency attributed the supply challenge to an “acute increase in demand.”
