Kamaria Gregory, LMSW, left, and Ilyse Acosta, RN
The Mount Sinai Home Infusion team is using its expertise and compassion to assist patients during a nationwide shortage of a vital medical supply.In late September, Hurricane Helene severely damaged Baxter International’s North Cove plant in North Carolina, which supplies 60 percent of the medical-grade fluids used nationwide. As a result, health systems and hospitals nationwide experienced severe intravenous (IV) fluid shortages. Baxter has advised that it will not return to full operations before the end of the year, at the earliest.
Locally, third-party home infusion companies were struggling to meet the demand for parenteral nutrition—this is feeding through a vein, an IV therapy that is often provided through home infusion services and requires a significant amount of fluids. These companies were declining cases, including some at the Mount Sinai Health System hospitals, because of the shortage.
Christine Hamilton, PhD, LCSW, MPH, Senior Director Department of Social Work Services at Mount Sinai, reached out to Mara Rotbard, Vice President, Mount Sinai Home Infusion Business Services, to ask if Mount Sinai could assist with patients who were scheduled to receive home therapy from other services and who could not be discharged because services were not available. Mount Sinai Home Infusion was able to not only continue serving its own patients, but accepted new patients allowing timely discharge. The referrals were seamlessly coordinated by Ilyse Acosta, RN, Clinical Service Liaison Mount Sinai Home Infusion, including insurance verification, securing nursing, clinical pharmacy review and coordinating the delivery of the parenteral nutrition and supplies. Ilyse worked with the social workers, including Kamaria Gregory, LMSW, to manage the discharges. “The collaboration between The Mount Sinai Home Infusion and Social Work teams was also excellent,” Christine says.
Ms. Rotbard says that Mount Sinai Health System’s having its own home infusion program is an invaluable benefit. She explains, “We have been affected by the fluid shortages as well, but fortunately have access to supplies through our eight hospitals, and combined with the efforts of our Supply Chain and system Pharmacy teams, we were able to help get all patients discharged with no interruption to their at home therapy.”