Background: While the absolute number of hospital beds is usually discussed, adequate utilisation of beds is a far better instrument to measure departmental efficiency.
Objective: To measure the number of beds for each surgical specialty in Pietersburg Hospital as well as the average length of stay (LoS) to compare bed utilisation.
Method: We conducted a 1-day descriptive cross-sectional audit of patients admitted to surgical wards on 21 April 2021 at Pietersburg Hospital.
Results: There were huge discrepancies in the number of beds per surgical specialty as well as the LoS. Over one-third of surgical beds were occupied by patients waiting for either a computed tomography scan, surgical procedure, or transfer.
Conclusion: There is a need to address the functioning of the surgical specialties with regards to the number of beds allocated as well as the ideal average length of stay.