CDC Issues Health Alert Network Health Advisory in Light of Supply Disruptions Caused by Hurricane Helene

The CDC is issuing a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to “inform healthcare providers, pharmacists, healthcare facility administrators, and state, tribal, local, and territorial health departments of a supply disruption of peritoneal dialysis (PD) and intravenous (IV) solutions from the Baxter International’s North Cove facility in North Carolina, due to Hurricane Helene.”

The advisory provides a list of recommendations for healthcare providers, pharmacists, and healthcare facility administrators in healthcare facilities. These suggestions include assessing inventory and supply and conserving available IV solutions; implementing a “facility-specific action plan to optimize the use of IV solutions using evidence-based fluid management protocols;” ensuring “multidisciplinary team involvement to determine and develop conservation and stewardship strategies using IV solutions in specific patient populations;” and communicating “changes in current practice, disruption, new shortages, and action plan adjustments to hospital leadership and frontline staff.”

A list of recommendations is also provided for providers and administrators in dialysis facilities. The recommendations include assessing and monitoring “inventory of available PD solutions;” implementing “an action plan for emergency PD treatment protocols;” communicating “with patients receiving peritoneal dialysis at home and their care providers;” considering “options for individual patients, keeping safety in mind;” and reinforcing “patient safety principles when not using usual products and procedures to prevent patient injury and medical errors.”

Finally, the advisory recommends that state, tribal, local, and territorial health departments “maintain situational awareness of the severity of the supply disruption and implement strategies.”