Since January, Michigan hospitals have been dealing with the effects of a nationwide shortage of a critical supply of intravenous fluid.
The fluid is used in a wide variety of intravenous therapy, including chemotherapy. The shortage is blamed on reduced production and increased demand during the winter flu season.
Laura Appel is with the Michigan Health and Hospital Association. She says hospitals are working to share what fluid they do have.
“For many years, a number of our different hospitals have worked together to make sure that supplies are adequate and there are mechanisms for sharing information about who has what,” says Appel.
A spokesman for the Beaumont Health System says the shortage appears to be leveling out.
Beaumont’s Mark Geary says the situation has been critical at times, but patient care was not affected.
