A Study to Determine and Evaluate the Organizational Level at Which Inpatient Beds Should be Managed Within a Medical Center
Abstract
Of ever growing concern within the military health care system is the necessity of getting by with limited or even dwindling resources, of increasing productivity, and of containing costs. A major focus of this concern has been the issue of excess hospital bed capacity within the Department of Defense (DOD) . Some members of Congress have prescribed hospital closures in specific attempts to reduce regional bed capacity (e.g., San Francisco Bay area). There is fairly widespread agreement within DOD that the services have excess hospital beds, though there is no consensus on how many, or more especially, which beds are surplus. A legitimate question at this point would be: Who is managing these beds within the Department of Army (DA) hospitals? The answer currently varies among hospitals, ranging from a centralized management form (Chief of Patient Administration) to decentralized form (Clinical Department Chiefs). This study was conducted to determine the organizational level at which inpatient beds should be managed. The study found decentralized management by the clinical service chief to be the most appropriate level. The author recommends integration of a complimentary preadmission testing program to maximize the benefits. Keywords: Hospital administration; Health care; Inpatient bed management.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1984
- Accession Number
- ADA209672
Entities
People
- Stanley L. Piotrowski
Organizations
- Academy of Health Sciences