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Some countries seem to have high bed utilization rates despite high number of beds. Is it due to more elderly population?
by pkaye 7y ago
Some countries seem to have high bed utilization rates despite high number of beds. Is it due to more elderly population?
- Someone 7y agoPart of it is cultural. For hospital beds, do you keep patients one extra night ‘just in case’, or do you send them home as soon as possible? For IC beds, do you give patients the choice between going home to die a week later and a bed in IC that will make them live a bit longer, but with a less comfort and less contact with their loved ones, or do you always go for “all life is sacred”? Some countries discus this with patients, even if the IC option has a chance of survival. That may sound unethical, but survival, for many patients, will be with much lower quality of life. They may have to move to a care home, stay on medication with severe side effects, may have to train hard for months to even be able to walk again. Patients that already have a low life expectancy may choose to stay out of IC.