Uncategorized

Critical Lorazepam IV Shortage Update

Read Time: 1 min

As you may be aware, Lorazepam IV is on a critical national shortage.  

Since June, Kettering Health has implemented several successful mitigation strategies to decrease usage. Unfortunately, as we continue to use our current supply, we don’t anticipate additional shipments until the end of August. Further complicating the situation, Diazepam IV is also on a national shortage and cannot be used as a realiable alternative.  

To conserve Lorazepam IV for patient populations with limited alternative options, the following restriction has been approved by Kettering Health Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T)

effective immediately

  • Lorazepam IV is restricted to patients with seizures/status and severe agitation. 
  • Lorazepam IV will remain on override in Omnicell for emergency use. 

Beginning Monday, August 8, 2022, Lorazepam IV will be removed from the following order sets: 

  1. ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL COMPLICATED 
    • Phenobarbital option still available 
  1. ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL UNCOMPLICATED 
    • Lorazepam tablets will still be available  
      • Sublingual route will be added 
  1. COMFORT CARE 
    • Lorazepam tablets will still be available 
      • Sublingual and rectal routes will be added 
    • Additional antipsychotic choices will be included: 
      • Olanzapine ODT 
      • Olanzapine IV 

We will keep you updated. Thank you for your support.

August 4, 2022
ABOUT K-NEWS

Kettering Health employees’ hub for system updates, stories about our people, events, and more.