Trends indicate that the overall number of hospital beds in the U.S. is decreasing. In 1975, there were about 1.5 million hospital beds in the U.S., but until 2017 the number dropped to just about 931 thousand. There is a growing trend towards consumer use of outpatient services, which tend to be less costly for patients. This may be only one reason why hospital bed numbers are decreasing in the United States.
Hospital beds
The U.S. has many types of hospitals, including non-profit, for-profit, and public. Among federal and non-federal hospitals, there has been the same decrease in the number of hospital beds, but there are significantly fewer hospital beds at federal hospitals. Despite seeing a decrease in the number of hospital beds, the hospital occupancy rate has only shown some variation.
Hospital costs
Costs also may be an important factor in the reduction of number of hospital beds in the U.S., however, costs do not appear to be on the decline. Data suggests that 2017 was the most expensive year for inpatient stays at U.S. hospitals. In fact, the United States has the highest daily hospital costs in the world. Hospital costs depend heavily on the condition that is being treated. Among acute conditions with the highest associated hospital costs in 2016 was angina.
Number of all hospital beds in the U.S. from 1975 to 2017
This statistic was assembled from several documents released by the American Hospital Association.
Starting with the 2019 edition of AHA Hospital Statistics, the AHA will no longer employ its own methodology to classify hospitals as registered. As a result of this change, the number of hospitals in this edition of Hospital Statistics increased by approximately 700, with 400 of those being community hospitals.
Trends indicate that the overall number of hospital beds in the U.S. is decreasing. In 1975, there were about 1.5 million hospital beds in the U.S., but until 2017 the number dropped to just about 931 thousand. There is a growing trend towards consumer use of outpatient services, which tend to be less costly for patients. This may be only one reason why hospital bed numbers are decreasing in the United States.
Hospital beds
The U.S. has many types of hospitals, including non-profit, for-profit, and public. Among federal and non-federal hospitals, there has been the same decrease in the number of hospital beds, but there are significantly fewer hospital beds at federal hospitals. Despite seeing a decrease in the number of hospital beds, the hospital occupancy rate has only shown some variation.
Hospital costs
Costs also may be an important factor in the reduction of number of hospital beds in the U.S., however, costs do not appear to be on the decline. Data suggests that 2017 was the most expensive year for inpatient stays at U.S. hospitals. In fact, the United States has the highest daily hospital costs in the world. Hospital costs depend heavily on the condition that is being treated. Among acute conditions with the highest associated hospital costs in 2016 was angina.
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American Hospital Association. (January 31, 2019). Number of all hospital beds in the U.S. from 1975 to 2017 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 05, 2019, from https://cdn1.statista.com/statistics/185860/number-of-all-hospital-beds-in-the-us-since-2001/
American Hospital Association. "Number of all hospital beds in the U.S. from 1975 to 2017." Chart. January 31, 2019. Statista. Accessed December 05, 2019. https://cdn1.statista.com/statistics/185860/number-of-all-hospital-beds-in-the-us-since-2001/
American Hospital Association. (2019). Number of all hospital beds in the U.S. from 1975 to 2017. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 05, 2019. https://cdn1.statista.com/statistics/185860/number-of-all-hospital-beds-in-the-us-since-2001/
American Hospital Association. "Number of All Hospital Beds in The U.S. from 1975 to 2017." Statista, Statista Inc., 31 Jan 2019, https://cdn1.statista.com/statistics/185860/number-of-all-hospital-beds-in-the-us-since-2001/
American Hospital Association, Number of all hospital beds in the U.S. from 1975 to 2017 Statista, https://cdn1.statista.com/statistics/185860/number-of-all-hospital-beds-in-the-us-since-2001/ (last visited December 05, 2019)
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