Hurricane Helene flooded a factory that produced 60% of the intravenous (IV) solutions used in the United States, causing a dramatic shortage. The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) is now calling on the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to declare a shortage of sterile IV solutions to allow waivers to permit certain flexibilities not otherwise available to health care providers. Baxter International, the company that operates the Marion, North Carolina-based … [Read more...]