Most people in the IV therapy industry knew Hurricane Helene would affect production at the Baxter International plant in North Carolina and lead to an IV fluid supply shortage. However, few clinic owners were actually prepared.
Christopher Seitz, MD, chairman of the AIVA scientific advisory board and CEO of Guardian Medical Direction, has been consulting with IV therapy clinic owners throughout the shortage on how to keep their practices afloat and even grow stronger in the future.
Whether it’s a natural disaster, an economic problem, or a pandemic, supply chain shortages are part of doing business today. Dr. Seitz offers six key lessons from the recent IV fluid supply disruption to help build resilience into your IV therapy clinic’s business strategy and continue serving patients in challenging times.
1. Focus on mission: Are you selling IV therapy or improving health outcomes?
As challenging as a supply chain shortage can be, it offers an opportunity to reassess your core mission. “This crisis is an opportunity to ask whether you’re running a business that sells IV vitamin bags or one that delivers meaningful healthcare outcomes,” says Dr. Seitz.
This distinction can transform your operations, especially in a climate of limited resources.
Clinics that focus on delivering measurable health benefits rather than simply selling a product or service can adapt more easily when a product is limited. For example, says Dr. Seitz, “If a patient seeks vitamin therapy for chronic fatigue, IV therapy is one component in your overall health plan. In times of shortages, you can augment that with other tools, like health coaching or nutraceuticals.”
Actionable tip: By focusing on outcomes, you can pivot to alternative therapies or solutions that align with patients’ health needs.
2. Diversify your vendor network
Diversifying your vendor network is essential for surviving supply chain instability.
Strong relationships with multiple suppliers allow you to pivot quickly and avoid severe business disruptions during a shortage. By forming partnerships with at least two or three reliable vendors, you create a safety net that allows access to critical supplies, even when one supplier encounters difficulties.
Actionable Tip: Build relationships with different vendors and review their crisis plans to understand how they prioritize allocations during shortages. Establishing clear lines of communication with your vendors can also help you keep your clinic at the top of their priority list.
3. Collaborate with similar businesses to secure priority
Strategic partnerships can help shield your clinic from the worst effects of shortages.
During the IV fluid shortage, supply chain partners needed to prioritize clients’ needs. “A standalone clinic doesn’t have the buying power or the patient volume to justify an allocation from a pharmacy during a shortage,” says Dr. Seitz.
Partnering with a larger consortium, like Guardian Medical Direction, or with like-minded businesses gives you more leverage than your clinic’s needs. “We had a couple of clinics who were competitors in their area, but they came together to pool their resources to stay afloat and meet the needs of the most vulnerable people,” says Dr. Seitz.
Actionable Tip: Consider partnering with larger healthcare networks or procurement groups that have collective purchasing power and can secure priority allocations.
4. Prioritize patient education to build flexibility
Educated patients are more likely to support treatment adjustments.
Effective patient education can help your clinic navigate a supply shortage. When patients understand the reasoning behind the shortage, they’re more likely to be flexible. “What we found is that our clinics that are educating their patients about the national shortage and the need to allocate resources to our most vulnerable populations are faring better,” says Dr. Seitz.
Actionable Tip: Spend time educating patients about what’s happening nationally instead of hiding that information to help keep them more satisfied.
5. Get back to the “art” of medicine
Having to be flexible in your practice can be an opportunity for growth, not just a challenge.
Clinicians are trained to operate in ideal, resource-rich settings. However, real-world practice often requires adaptability and ingenuity, particularly when supply chains are unreliable. Shortages force clinic owners and healthcare providers to consider treatment modifications. “Rather than seeing these as obstacles, they can be an opportunity to expand skills and patient care options.
“We’ve had a couple of clinics who offered IV vitamin therapy for general health and wellness, and they’re using this as an opportunity to build a full health coaching service line,” says Dr. Seitz.
Actionable Tip: Create a playbook for alternative treatment protocols that can be implemented during shortages to ensure continuity of care.
6. Prepare for future crises
Comprehensive risk management is key to long-term clinic resilience.
The IV fluid shortage is only one example of how unanticipated events can disrupt operations. Developing a robust crisis response plan that includes supply chain management, patient communication and financial contingencies can help your clinic stay operational during disruptions. Business interruption insurance is key to helping your clinic manage through a challenge like a supply chain disruption.
Actionable Tip: Your insurance advisor can help recommend the right insurance to help you weather crises and help you design a risk management plan for crisis preparedness.
With thoughtful planning, IV therapy clinics can transform a challenge into a strategic opportunity for growth and resilience. “Not limiting yourself to one therapeutic modality is the best way to practice medicine. You should attack a problem from four or five angles if you can, not just one,” says Dr. Seitz.
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