Presbyterian tells hospitals to limit IV use. Implements strategies to conserve supply

ALBUQUERQUE — Presbyterian, the state’s largest hospital system, is limiting the amount of IV fluid it uses in its hospitals, attributing Hurricane Helene to creating a national shortage.

A Presbyterian email sent to staff that the Journal obtained lists multiple strategies to mitigate the volume of IV fluid used, including switching patients from IV to oral fluids whenever possible, replacing fluids in 72-hour intervals, changing the methods of administration and “using the smallest volume of IV fluids for required indication.”

Two other major hospital systems in New Mexico are seemingly minimally affected by the national shortage so far, according to spokespeople.

The email from Presbyterian, which operates nine hospitals throughout New Mexico, was sent Tuesday from the company’s chief pharmacy officer, Erica Downing, with the subject line “immediate need for IV Conservation.”

Baxter, one of the primary suppliers of IVs nationwide, has limited the amount of IVs it is selling in the wake of severe damage to one of its factories in North Carolina by Hurricane Helene.

It also states that while Presbyterian has received a shipment of IVs from Baxter, the hospitals are receiving 40% of the product they usually would and “must continue to conserve IV and irrigation fluids.”

Spokesperson Alyssa Armijo with the hospital system told the Journal on Thursday the hospitals were “not limiting access to necessary use of IV fluids.”

On Wednesday — the day after the email was sent to Presbyterian staff — Baxter said in a letter it was increasing its allocations of supplies to hospitals from 40% to 60%

IV stands for intravenous, which is injected into a person’s veins to restore fluid or provide medication.

“Providers determine the best use of IV fluids depending on the needs of the patient and their treatment plan. Due to the Baxter shortage, we have introduced several conservation options in line with national guidance.

“Examples include shifting from medications administered through IV fluids to oral medications and more frequent assessment of the need for IV fluids, as appropriate,” Tim Johnsen, chief operating officer for Presbyterian, told the Journal in a statement Friday.

The email said another measure to conserve supplies that is being taken is changing from using IV piggybank setups, where a smaller bag is attached to the primary line, to “push administration” when the IV fluid is injected directly into the bloodstream of the patient.

The email also instructs staff to check the IV bags and syringe for degradation and the solution for “particulate matter, turbidity and/or color changes.”

Whitney Alcantar, spokesperson for Lovelace Health System, said Lovelace is not experiencing IV shortages but will “continue to closely monitor our supply.”

Chris Ramirez, spokesperson for the UNM Health System, said he was unaware of any shortages at UNM’s health system.