This Memorial Day, we pause to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. We are grateful for their sacrifice.
Memorial Day also marks the unofficial start of summer. For clinics, that brings two things to plan for: busy summer schedules and hurricane season, which runs June 1 through November 30.
A lesson from 2024
In September 2024, Hurricane Helene damaged Baxter's North Cove facility in North Carolina. The site supplied an estimated 60% of IV solutions in North America.
Hospitals and clinics across the country faced allocations and shortages of IV fluids for months. Many independent clinics learned how fragile a single-source supply chain can be.
How to plan for summer
- Know your critical items. Identify the products you cannot run services without.
- Understand your sources. Know which vendors and distribution centers your critical items come from.
- Have alternatives ready. Vetted backup sources are easier to set up before a disruption than during one.
- Plan around holiday closures. Carriers close for Memorial Day, so order ahead for the week.
Why a diverse network matters
Walla works with a hand-selected network of vendors across the U.S. Our vendors operate at least 22 verified distribution centers. When one source is disrupted, a broad network gives clinics more options.
To everyone honoring loved ones this weekend, we are thinking of you.
Source: Texas Medical Association, Hurricane Helene Disrupts IV Fluid Supply Chain