{
    "name": "Bed Occupancy Rate Calculator",
    "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/bed-occupancy-rate-calculator",
    "markdown": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/bed-occupancy-rate-calculator.md",
    "category": "Healthcare operations",
    "description": "Calculate hospital or ward bed occupancy from inpatient days, beds and days in the period, with the average daily census and the empty bed-days.",
    "summary": "Occupancy is the inpatient days used divided by the bed-days available (beds × days in the period). The average daily census is the same inpatient days spread over the period.",
    "also_called": [
        "Bed occupancy ratio (BOR) calculator",
        "Hospital occupancy calculator"
    ],
    "applies_to": "Worldwide",
    "last_updated": "2026-10-29",
    "computation": "Results are computed in the visitor’s browser on the HTML page. This API describes the calculator; it does not compute results.",
    "inputs": [
        {
            "name": "patient_days",
            "label": "Inpatient days in the period",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "9125",
            "unit": "days"
        },
        {
            "name": "beds",
            "label": "Beds",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "30"
        },
        {
            "name": "days",
            "label": "Days in the period",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "365"
        }
    ],
    "outputs": [
        {
            "key": "occupancy",
            "label": "Bed occupancy rate",
            "format": "percent"
        },
        {
            "key": "average_daily_census",
            "label": "Average daily census",
            "format": "number"
        },
        {
            "key": "available_bed_days",
            "label": "Available bed-days",
            "format": "integer"
        },
        {
            "key": "empty_bed_days",
            "label": "Unoccupied bed-days",
            "format": "number"
        }
    ],
    "formula": {
        "text": "Occupancy % = Inpatient days ÷ (Beds × Days in period) × 100;  Average daily census = Inpatient days ÷ Days in period",
        "variables": {
            "Inpatient days": "patient days counted in the period (one per patient per midnight census)",
            "Beds": "beds counted under your reporting definition",
            "Days in period": "calendar days in the period"
        }
    },
    "worked_example": {
        "inputs": {
            "patient_days": "9125",
            "beds": "30",
            "days": "365"
        },
        "steps": [
            "Average daily census = 9,125 ÷ 365 = 25 patients.",
            "Available bed-days = 30 × 365 = 10,950.",
            "Occupancy = 9,125 ÷ 10,950 × 100 = 83.33%."
        ],
        "result": "A 30-bed ward with 9,125 inpatient days in a year averages 25 patients a night, an occupancy rate of 83.33%."
    },
    "interpretation": "Occupancy close to or above 100% leaves no slack for emergency admissions and usually means patients waiting for beds. Very low occupancy points to beds that could be closed or redeployed. Read it alongside average length of stay.",
    "assumptions": [
        "Each inpatient day is counted once (usually at the midnight census).",
        "The bed count is constant through the period."
    ],
    "limitations": [
        "Midnight-census figures miss day cases and same-day admissions and discharges, so daytime occupancy can be higher.",
        "Results differ depending on whether staffed, available or licensed beds are used."
    ],
    "rules": null,
    "faqs": [
        {
            "question": "Which bed count should I use?",
            "answer": "Use the one your report asks for. Staffed or available beds show the pressure on the ward; licensed beds show the share of the hospital’s permitted capacity in use."
        },
        {
            "question": "How do I get inpatient days?",
            "answer": "Add up the number of inpatients counted at each midnight census in the period. Most patient administration systems report it directly."
        }
    ],
    "sources": [
        {
            "title": "CIHI: Hospital occupancy rate, indicator definition",
            "url": "https://www.cihi.ca/en/indicators/hospital-occupancy-rate"
        },
        {
            "title": "Hawaii SHPDA: Healthcare Utilization Report 2023, bed utilisation formulas",
            "url": "https://health.hawaii.gov/shpda/files/2024/09/2023UR-Table-30-Bed-Utilization-Formulas.pdf"
        }
    ],
    "related": [
        {
            "name": "Average Length of Stay Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/average-length-of-stay-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Nurse Staffing Ratio Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/nurse-staffing-ratio-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Percentage Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/percentage-calculator"
        }
    ],
    "disclaimer": null,
    "publisher": "GM¹X CalcVerse"
}