Westview News examined the theory that the United States has too many hospital beds (Westview News, “Closing Hospitals Saves Money: A Failed Theory, March 2014), and has concluded that it is wrong. The medical literature is also joining this argument.
In the March issue of the Journal of Hospital Medicine, examination of the increasing and aging United States population indicates that a 72% increase in hospital beds would be needed by the year 2050, if present medical policies and practices continue. Since there are about 920,000 beds now, this would lead to an increase of 660,000, or 18,000 a year until then.
New York City has about 2.5% of the US population, so there should be an average increase of about 450 beds per year between now and 2050, or about 16,000 total. Doing another simple calculation, by 2050 there will be about 640,000 more city residents over the age of 65, and if they spend just nine days in the hospital more then they do now that will occupy the entire 16,000 beds every day of the year.
