Washington Regional Medical Center in rural Plymouth is a lifeline in a barren health landscape. But financial problems could threaten that.

While there are some reasons for optimism, if the experience of the last few weeks is a sign of what is to come, the already fragile primary care safety net may be about to break.

Many U.S. hospitals are conserving critical intravenous fluid supplies to cope with a shortage that may last months. Some hospital administrators say the shortage accelerated their plans to change IV ...