Hospital Occupancy to Reach 85% by 2035
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By
February 20, 2025
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3 min
A recent study analyzed national hospital bed occupancy trends and projected potential shortages due to an aging population, revealing a stabilization of U.S. hospital occupancy at 75.3%, with a 16% decline in staffed beds. It is expected that national hospital occupancy will increase to 85% by 2032 for adult beds and by 2035 for adult and pediatric beds combined, raising concerns about hospital capacity and patient care. Potential mitigation strategies were identified, such as increasing staffed hospital beds or reducing hospitalization rates. However, challenges related to hospital staffing shortages and bed availability persist, necessitating further research and examination of contributing factors.
1. U.S. hospital occupancy stabilized at 75.3%, with a 16% decline in staffed beds. 2. National hospital occupancy is expected to increase to 85% by 2032, raising concerns about capacity and patient care. 3. Mitigation strategies include increasing staffed hospital beds or reducing hospitalization rates. 4. Challenges persist related to hospital staffing shortages and bed availability. 5. The study was conducted by researchers led by Richard K. Leuchter, MD, of the Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in Los Angeles, California.
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