no question that we do needs beds. The increasing population, particularly elderly people suggests need for chronic care as well as acute beds. We need much better quality homecare so we can keep patients out of hospital as well.
Also please note that hospitals in this province often are in 'closure': weekends, holiday Mondays/good Friday/ Christmas New Years break/ March break/ summer closures etc etc. Interestingly hospitals are often in some sort of closure 35% of the days of the year (just like the schools!).
Perhaps if this was reduced to weekends only hospitals would function better?