The blocked bed. Definition of a problem

The 'blocked bed' is a term familiar to doctors and hospital administrators, but has no conventional definition. Estimates of the prevalence of bed blockage vary and are largely subjective. A survey of Area and Regional Health Authorities in the U.K. was used to collect information on the nature and extent of bed blockage. The definitions offered focus on the match between patient characteristics and services provided, and refer in the main to elderly patients in acute hospital beds. It is argued that the emergence of blockage as a problem is related to a dominant model of acute care in hospitals, which does not accurately reflect the situation of elderly patients or their needs for treatment.