Spare capacity in beds is essential to accommodate emergencies

Emergency admissions are essentially random events and difficult to predict. Using a computer model, Bagust et al show (p 155) that spare capacity is essential if an emergency admissions service is to operate efficiently and at a level of risk acceptable to patients. Bed crises are not generally created by poor management: without 10-15% spare capacity even the best run hospital is at risk. Maintaining these "extra" beds is not wasteful but is a necessary cost of providing adequate emergency care at the time of need.


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Relevant Article

Dynamics of bed use in accommodating emergency admissions: stochastic simulation model
Adrian Bagust, Michael Place, and John W Posnett
BMJ 1999 319: 155-158. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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