Is Fresenius Changing Saline Supplier?

[PrimeTimer]

Anyone hear or be told that Fresenius is changing their supplier for saline bags? Just wondering. We were also told that they are no longer going to deliver supplies like gauze, tape, syringes, needles, etc to your home anymore and that patients will have to pick up supplies themselves from their centers. They said boxes of saline will still be delivered tho. That's good because saline is heavy.

[caregivertech1]

Our order procedure changed. We now order from the center vs directly from Fresenius. Saline in the same but gloves, alcohol patches, and BD 10cc syringes are different. It's all shipped to us by UPS. Our nurse puts the order in.  Makes little sense to me.

[caregivertech1]

Upon further review the cases are labeled differently but the individual bags look the same. Who knows?

[PrimeTimer]

Our order procedure changed. We now order from the center vs directly from Fresenius. Saline in the same but gloves, alcohol patches, and BD 10cc syringes are different. It's all shipped to us by UPS. Our nurse puts the order in.  Makes little sense to me.

I definitely would NOT want anything delivered by UPS. They knock once (not giving you enough time to even answer the door) and then leave packages at the door, sometimes at the WRONG door/address, outside on the dirty ground and for the whole world to see or...steal and in the elements (scorching heat, freezing temps). Will be bad enough if we have to make extra trips now to the center for supplies but would be even worse if it was delivered by UPS. 

[cattlekid]

For UPS, I highly recommend My Choice.  It's a service they offer that allows you to know when shipments are arriving and reschedule/reroute or hold at UPS Store or other UPS location.  I use it a lot because I do not like to have packages sit out either and there is a UPS Store a few blocks from home.  Most of their services are free but a couple of them do have a cost.

[iolaire]

Our order procedure changed. We now order from the center vs directly from Fresenius. Saline in the same but gloves, alcohol patches, and BD 10cc syringes are different. It's all shipped to us by UPS. Our nurse puts the order in.  Makes little sense to me.

I definitely would NOT want anything delivered by UPS. They knock once (not giving you enough time to even answer the door) and then leave packages at the door, sometimes at the WRONG door/address, outside on the dirty ground and for the whole world to see or...steal and in the elements (scorching heat, freezing temps). Will be bad enough if we have to make extra trips now to the center for supplies but would be even worse if it was delivered by UPS.

Years ago I received a box of some sort of solution (I think it related to at home Dialysis) that was supposed to be sent to someone I don't know about 1/2 a block away.  The shipping data was very lacking but somehow I figured out where it was supposed to go and brought it over.  I don't know what I would have done if it was a pallet of liquid....

[Simon Dog]

My local clinic has stopped using TruBlue/Fresenius for supplies (including saline), and is now using MMS Pharmacy in TN.  Fresenius has a local warehouse that used to deliver (and allowed will call).   The new procedure sounds like the same system caregivertech1 is using.   I was told that Fresenius was charging itself too much for delivery ($300 per trip), so they elected to use an outside supplier instead of themselves.     The disadvantage is no more inside delivery (UPS only).  The advantage is I don't have to do bi-monthly supply orders but can order any time (via the RN) and, as a result, I don't have to stockpile as much stuff to be certain I don't run out.

On a separate matter, Fresenius stopped home delivery of EPO.   It is now delivered to the clinic, and I pick it up there.

For UPS, I highly recommend My Choice.

+1.

A great free feature is email a day or three before a package arrives, and another once the package has been delivered.

[caregivertech1]

For UPS, I highly recommend My Choice.  It's a service they offer that allows you to know when shipments are arriving and reschedule/reroute or hold at UPS Store or other UPS location.  I use it a lot because I do not like to have packages sit out either and there is a UPS Store a few blocks from home.  Most of their services are free but a couple of them do have a cost.

Great tip. Thanks.

[PrimeTimer]

For UPS, I highly recommend My Choice.  It's a service they offer that allows you to know when shipments are arriving and reschedule/reroute or hold at UPS Store or other UPS location.  I use it a lot because I do not like to have packages sit out either and there is a UPS Store a few blocks from home.  Most of their services are free but a couple of them do have a cost.

I'll have to look into "My Choice" if our saline ends up being delivered via UPS (or if anything else is delivered via UPS). Thanks for the tip!

[PrimeTimer]

For UPS, I highly recommend My Choice.  It's a service they offer that allows you to know when shipments are arriving and reschedule/reroute or hold at UPS Store or other UPS location.  I use it a lot because I do not like to have packages sit out either and there is a UPS Store a few blocks from home.  Most of their services are free but a couple of them do have a cost.

I'll have to look into "My Choice" if our saline ends up being delivered via UPS (or if anything else is delivered via UPS). Thanks for the tip!

Just an update...the whole issue about saline being delivered via UPS is a moot point. Fresenius now makes us pick it up ourselves at the clinic. And according to a recent post under NxStage Users, Fresenius is also going cheap on syringes and fistula needles. Husband (the patient) is not thrilled about that.

[caregivertech1]

Wow, can't believe FMC is making patients pick up those heavy cases of Saline. My clinic is still shipping by UPS. Follow your grievous procedure and make some calls up the line...I'll bet they'll start shipping. Just the question asking for these phone numbers goes a long way. It worked for me getting them to order 3/5" needles.

[PrimeTimer]

Wow, can't believe FMC is making patients pick up those heavy cases of Saline. My clinic is still shipping by UPS. Follow your grievous procedure and make some calls up the line...I'll bet they'll start shipping. Just the question asking for these phone numbers goes a long way. It worked for me getting them to order 3/5" needles.

I've already asked my husband (the patient) to bring all this up with his Neph and nurse and he refuses. He's afraid to rock the boat with them. Meanwhile, guess he doesn't care that his unwillingness to speak up is rocking MY boat.   

[Zach]

I've already asked my husband (the patient) to bring all this up with his Neph and nurse and he refuses. He's afraid to rock the boat with them. Meanwhile, guess he doesn't care that his unwillingness to speak up is rocking MY boat.   

 

[Vt Big Rig]

Anyone hear or be told that Fresenius is changing their supplier for saline bags? Just wondering. We were also told that they are no longer going to deliver supplies like gauze, tape, syringes, needles, etc to your home anymore and that patients will have to pick up supplies themselves from their centers. They said boxes of saline will still be delivered tho. That's good because saline is heavy.

I like to think I am relatively healthy (except for kidneys of course) but having had to get my first boxes of saline of the porch yesterday I cannot imagine how an elderly family could handle this. Especially the way I try to baby my fistula arm.

Next Stage finds a way to get supplies delivered. Why can't Fresenius? Answers ...CHEAP!!!  I whine about this at every Ultra Care call. Does not seem to do much good.

[Simon Dog]

Next Stage finds a way to get supplies delivered. Why can't Fresenius? Answers ...CHEAP!!!  I whine about this at every Ultra Care call. Does not seem to do much good.

The Ultra care call is part of a program to keep you happy while you are a private insurance paid patient.  The calls will end once you transition to Medicare.

[PrimeTimer]

Next Stage finds a way to get supplies delivered. Why can't Fresenius? Answers ...CHEAP!!!  I whine about this at every Ultra Care call. Does not seem to do much good.

The Ultra care call is part of a program to keep you happy while you are a private insurance paid patient.  The calls will end once you transition to Medicare.

My husband is still on private insurance. Last time he got a call from the Ultra Care nurse was in May. No call yet so far this month. Wonder if their Ultra Care is also going bye-bye like home deliveries did. Call me paranoid but I've been laid off twice from longterm jobs I had with large companies just before they tanked or were bought out through mergers. Both started cutting back on things just ahead of announcing layoffs. Hopefully Fresenius is just wanting to boost their bottom line and not in any trouble but their cutting out deliveries and cutting back on supplies is making me nervous. Hoping my husband brings all this up with his Neph or the Ultra Care nurse.   

[Vt Big Rig]

Next Stage finds a way to get supplies delivered. Why can't Fresenius? Answers ...CHEAP!!!  I whine about this at every Ultra Care call. Does not seem to do much good.

The Ultra care call is part of a program to keep you happy while you are a private insurance paid patient.  The calls will end once you transition to Medicare.

Yes sir, I do know that. Part of the reason I am trying to make noise now!!

[Simon Dog]

The problem with the Fresenius (FMC/True Blue) delivery is that they trucked the supplies out, and did not have a good formula for "truck vs. UPS" and only using (and billing for) the truck when it was cost effective.     Tru Blu did use UPS one month when the delivery consisted only of supplies other than saline, but every time there was saline, it was trucked at a cost to the clinic of $300 per trip (delivery only, not supplies).   I was on bi-monthly with True Blue, and was in the habit of ordering enough saline that they would only need to send the truck once every 4 months, and UPS on alternate 2 month cycles.   Encouraging this for patients would have been another way to cut down on the delivery charges.

If Fresenius were rational in its internal cross-department billing procedures, and switched to UPS only for patients who are on NxStage, the entire switch to an independent pharmacy would have been unnecessary.

Irrationality persists.  It cannot be more cost effective to ship one gallon of bleach from TN to MA than to just grab one from stock at the clinic when I am in for my monthly.

[PrimeTimer]

So, I wonder what Fresenius is doing with all those trucks they're no longer using for deliveries that they paid to have "Tru Blue" painted on and the delivery drivers. Poof, gone? A write-off?

[Shaks24]

They used to ship Heparin to my house. I had to pick up the last order from the clinic. Have not noticed any other changes as of yet.

[Simon Dog]

They used to ship Heparin to my house. I had to pick up the last order from the clinic. Have not noticed any other changes as of yet.

Same change for EPO with the clinic I use.

So, I wonder what Fresenius is doing with all those trucks they're no longer using for deliveries that they paid to have "Tru Blue" painted on and the delivery drivers. Poof, gone? A write-off?

Home delivery is a small part of the TrueBlue delivery.   They also service their own clinics, and some hospitals where they contract for dialysis service.   Also, home users on the BabyK Fresenius machines still get their orders from TruBlue as there is a huge volume of bicarb and acid solution delivered each month, not to mention cartirdges, line sets and ancillary supplies.

[PrimeTimer]

Hhmm...wonder if NxStage knows about any of this. We are also no longer getting Heparin delivered. Husband has to go pick it up with his EPO along with everything else now and needing Heparin and EPO does not necessarily coincide with his monthly appointments. Now we have to take more time off from work and make more trips to the clinic.


Question for those on PD: Are any of you PD'ers having to pick up your own home dialysis supplies from your Fresenius clinic?

[Simon Dog]

Question for those on PD: Are any of you PD'ers having to pick up your own home dialysis supplies from your Fresenius clinic?

I would be surprised if this is the case.    The PD supplies (as well as home hemp w/Babyk) are sufficiently bulky as to make the TruBlue service cost effective at $300 per truck delivery.

I have to pick EPO and, I assume, Heparin (don't use it now) at the clinic, but saline and supplies are shipped to my house.  No more inside delivery for saline and supplies (NxStage still does inside delivery)

[obsidianom]

Heparin and EPO are medications and thus governed by the LAWS of the state you live in.  Our nurse told me our state pharmacy law requires they deliver both directly to our home . The clinic IS NOT ALLOWED BY LAW to give it to us . The next state over  on the other hand is the opposite . They have to give them out from the clinic .
This has nothing to do with Fresenius.

[Simon Dog]

Heparin and EPO are medications and thus governed by the LAWS of the state you live in.  Our nurse told me our state pharmacy law requires they deliver both directly to our home . The clinic IS NOT ALLOWED BY LAW to give it to us . The next state over  on the other hand is the opposite . They have to give them out from the clinic .
This has nothing to do with Fresenius.

There is a sign at the FMC clinic I use mentioning this - FMC pharmacy makes drugs available for pickup at the clinic "except in states where the law requires home delivery".