Baxter

Hi Folks

I just picked up my US mail. in it was a letter from the dialysis center saying that Baxter is no longer going to supply the item needed for home dialysis. Which in my case will be heprain 1000u/cc no30cc bottle, syringes of any kind,sharps containers, alcohol prep pads, tape , etc. I get other med supplies from other company and I’ve talked to them and they do not these supplies.

Where do others get supplies from outside of the centers?

Thanks
Bob O’Brien

Interesting, Bob. This is the first I’ve heard of such a letter. But please do ask your home training nurse from your home HD program about where your supplies will come from–this should not be your problem to solve on your own.

Hi Folks

The supplies I would get from Baxter ,that I will no longer get are , heparin, needles, syringes, alcohol prep pads, sharps containers. , It not a question of who will take this up, the letter states that my center will now supply me with these items. But Baxter would ship to my door, with the center, they want us to pick up these items,… But where is the center getting the items and are they saving money or is Baxter, the fact that the person home will now spend his/her money going to center to pick up these items.

I called Baxter and talked to a customer rep. The rep, telling me that Baxter wants to only ship PD supplies. Although Baxter still will ship to me everything else that they did before, band aids, gloves, saline, etc.

Something seems strange.

Thanks
Bob O’Brien

Sounds to me like your center is making a change in how they provide these supplies. I pick up my supplies when I go to my monthly clinic. No big deal, at least for me, I’m only 8 miles from my clinic and if I run short, I’ll run by and get what I need.

Like any business, the center is probably looking at where they can cut costs. If this creates a hardship for you, you should take that to your center to see what can be done. If you’re unable to handle those supplies, maybe they can make other arrangements.

Heh, we dumped Fresenius for Baxter, hehehe, well almost …but all supplies except Saline are given at clinic, not direct from Baxter.

If you are a Method I patient, your dialysis facility is responsible for providing the equipment and supplies that you need to do dialysis. Clinics typically contract for PD equipment and supplies with either Baxter or Fresenius. If those companies provide the heparin, needles, syringes, alcohol prep pads, and sharps containers, they’re having to get them from another company since neither of those companies make those things. Generally whenever there is a “middleman” there is a fee to provide that service. I suspect your clinic is obtaining these supplies at lower cost from another company that either makes the products or doesn’t charge as much of a fee for providing them. As long as the supplies are equivalent, there should not be a problem. You should be able to pick up the supplies you need in the quantities you need them when you go to your clinic for clinic appointments. Finally, if you’re on Medicare, what your facility charges for dialysis should not change as a result of this change. If it does, ask questions.

Hi Folks

Baxter is still supplying me with direct shipment of saline ,band aids, tape, gloves,2x2 4x4, hand sanitizer… things I got from center ,fistula blunts, supperstoppers, heprian line for over night pump. hectarol, aranesp . It just seem strange. ,out of the blue.

Thanks

bob obrien