Pauly M V, Wilson P
Health Serv Res. 1986 Aug;21(3):403-28.
This article investigates the cost incurred when hospitals have different levels of beds to treat a given number of patients. The cost of hospital care is affected by both the forecasted level of admissions and the actual number of admissions. When the relationship between forecasted and actual admissions is held constant, it is found that an empty hospital bed at a typical hospital in Michigan has a relatively low cost, about 13 percent or less of the cost of an occupied bed. However, empty beds in large hospitals do add significantly to cost. If hospital beds are closed, whether by closing beds at hospitals which remain in business or by closing entire hospitals, cost savings are estimated to be small.
本文研究了医院在治疗给定数量患者时，拥有不同床位水平所产生的成本。医院护理成本受到预计入院人数和实际入院人数的影响。当预计入院人数与实际入院人数之间的关系保持不变时，研究发现密歇根州一家典型医院的一张空病床成本相对较低，约为占用病床成本的13%或更低。然而，大型医院的空病床确实会显著增加成本。如果关闭医院病床，无论是通过关闭仍在运营的医院的病床还是关闭整个医院，预计节省的成本都很小。
