Summary
- Surgery schedules across the country may be impacted for weeks due to the shutdown of a crucial IV and sterile fluids factory.
- The closure of Baxter International’s North Carolina plant has led to supply shortages, affecting planned non-emergency surgeries.
- Health systems are conserving supplies, postponing certain procedures, and importing fluids from other countries to ease the shortage.
- The situation is expected to improve gradually as efforts are made to restart production at the affected plant.