Strategies for Cutting Hospital Beds: The Impact on Patient Service.(Statistical Data Included)

Objective. To develop insights on the impact of size, average length of stay, variability, and organization of clinical services on the relationship between occupancy rates and delays for beds.

Data Sources. The primary data source was Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Secondary data were obtained from the United Hospital Fund of New York reflecting data from about 150 hospitals.

Study Design. Data from Beth Israel Deaconess on discharges and length of stay were analyzed and fit into appropriate queueing models to generate tables and graphs…