RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: The measurement, evaluation and analysis of the bed resources are functions of the Admission and Clinical Documentation Department and are a challenge for the management of acute hospital admissions.The aim of the present study was to analyse the management of bed resources using the Barber and Johnson Diagram (B&J) and latent reserve, during epidemiological contingencies in the Hospital Universitario Río Hortega. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was carried out on hospital admission indicators, from 2008 to February 2017, using the B&J diagram as a graphic tool to compare length of stay, replacement interval, turnover rate, monthly and annual occupancy rate for the hospital and services.The latent and manifest reserve was calculated. RESULTS: The B&J diagram showed differences in occupancy rate and provision of functional beds between the years reviewed and the approaches used. A lower provision of beds and higher length of stay corresponded with an increase in occupancy, decrease in replacement interval, and increase in turnover rate. The latent reserve showed that, between a discharge and a new entry into the same bed, 14 inappropriately occupied beds could be available. CONCLUSIONS: The review of the hospital admission indicators, their integration into the B&J diagram, and use of latent reserve could be included in the hospital information system and benefit the decision-making in the operational management of beds.
