Drug shortages are delaying plans to open new surgery centers, according to a blog post by Greg Rockers, a staff member with JCB Laboratories.
"I received a call last week from a distraught purchasing manager for a new surgery center," he wrote. "His facility was due to open in less than a week, and there was a chance the opening would be delayed because of drug shortages."
According to the post, the purchasing manager could not get the medications needed for the crash cart and initial CMS survey cases. "Drugs that are an integral part of surgeries and a crash cart, such as atropine, epinephrine, propranolol and flumazenil, were not available," Mr. Rockers wrote. "I spoke to this manager no less than four times in three days as he frantically tried to obtain the drugs needed to open his facility on time."
Surgery centers and hospitals have been battling drug shortages for several years now. Congress recently approved a law, signed by President Barack Obama, that would require drug companies to provide at least six months notice if an interruption in the pipeline is expected for any life-sustaining drug.
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"I received a call last week from a distraught purchasing manager for a new surgery center," he wrote. "His facility was due to open in less than a week, and there was a chance the opening would be delayed because of drug shortages."
According to the post, the purchasing manager could not get the medications needed for the crash cart and initial CMS survey cases. "Drugs that are an integral part of surgeries and a crash cart, such as atropine, epinephrine, propranolol and flumazenil, were not available," Mr. Rockers wrote. "I spoke to this manager no less than four times in three days as he frantically tried to obtain the drugs needed to open his facility on time."
Surgery centers and hospitals have been battling drug shortages for several years now. Congress recently approved a law, signed by President Barack Obama, that would require drug companies to provide at least six months notice if an interruption in the pipeline is expected for any life-sustaining drug.
Related Articles on Anesthesia:
Dr. Benjamin Rubin Joins Fox Chase Anesthesiology
Anesthesiologist Dr. Nazek Shabayek Joins Gifford Medical Center
Colorado Society of Anesthesiologists Dismayed at CRNA Ruling