I wish the problem were as simple (and as easy to solve) as the author claims.

None of the patients in my (overcrowded and over-full) hospital are there for "tune-ups, fairly routine tests and procedures".  It is true that "ALC" patients take up acute care beds.  This is because we are unwilling to build and staff more long-term care facilities.

The root cause of the problem is: the public wants good medical care, as long at they do not have to pay for it through their taxes.  And governments need to offer good health care without increasing taxes, so they trot out the same tired old "right care in the right place" mantra, because to tell people "pay more taxes or accept poor health care" would be political suicide.