Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) Practice Exam

How is hospital capacity typically measured?

1. Number of beds

2. Number of surgeries performed

3. Number of staff on duty

4. Square footage of the facility

The correct answer is: Number of beds

Hospital capacity is primarily measured by the number of beds available within the facility. This metric is crucial because it directly indicates how many patients can be accommodated at any given time. Each bed represents a potential patient who can receive care, making this a fundamental measure of a hospital's ability to handle patient volume, especially during peak times such as health crises or pandemics. By focusing on the number of beds, healthcare administrators can assess and optimize resource allocation, staffing needs, and operational efficiency. This capacity measure also significantly influences patient flow, admission rates, and overall hospital performance. While the number of surgeries performed, staff on duty, and square footage of the facility are relevant to hospital operations, they do not provide a direct measure of the facility's ability to accommodate inpatients. The number of surgeries performed reflects service output rather than capacity, the number of staff emphasizes operational readiness, and square footage relates more to facility design than to actual patient accommodation levels. Therefore, the number of beds remains the standard and most direct indicator of hospital capacity.