Lessons learned on essential medicine supplies
AMA President Professor Steve Robson says some caution is being exercised on the use of IV fluids along with a wider high-level review of securing essential medical supplies in Australia.
Recent intravenous fluid supply constraints have pointed to key changes needed to secure essential medical supplies, AMA President Professor Steve Robson told ABC TV.
He said IV fluid supply restraints from overseas had prompted health officials to reassess how IV fluid is used and conserved.
Professor Robson said a National IV fluid Response Group had been set up to deal with any impacts of IV fluid supply constraints, of which the AMA is a member. The group meets weekly to coordinate a national response to IV fluid shortages.
Professor Robson said in an interview with ABC Weekend Breakfast TV it was important that IV fluid supplies be conserved.
“So what is happening at the moment is caution in making sure that we use intravenous fluids we have wisely, that none are wasted or used injudiciously,” he said.
“We probably used a lot of IV fluids …in ways that we did not necessarily need to at the time. So we have adjusted to be a little more cautious and perhaps not use as much as we had in the past because we do not know about the supply.
“But I think the really big lesson moving forward is that in these times we need to make sure we understand what the essential medical supplies are, what Australians need, where we get them, and how we make sure that they always get to the patients who need them.”
The National Response Group issued a communique recently saying that the situation remains stable although supply may be constrained until the end of 2024.
It advises judicious conservation pending further information as the situation stabilises.
Reducing usage of IV fluids through conservation strategies are outlined in a fact sheet from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.
