Factors Affecting Bed Occupancy Rate Based on Multiple-Criteria Decision Analysis (Hierarchical Analysis) in a Military Hospital

Due to the limitations of financial resources in medical centers in the country, considering the utilization of beds and hospital bed occupancy rate are considered extremely important. This study was conducted in order to determine the affecting factors of bed occupation index using Multiple Criteria Decision Making approach in a military hospital.
This research was a descriptive study, which was conducted during 2015. The statistical population consisted of the chief executive manager, top manager, training supervisor and the heads of all the inpatient wards. Eighteen subjects were selected in the study through the census method. The gathering data tool was the comparisons questionnaire for factors affecting bed occupation, which its face and content validity were confirmed using expert's opinions. Data analysis were done using the Expert Choice software V11.
Eighteen subjects participated as samples in this study which consisted of 2 managers, 10 nurses and nursing directors, and 6 healthcare management experts. Six main criteria were defined for determining the affecting factors of bed occupation index including: clinic activation, Physician staff, financial access, the type of hospital and its services, the disease in the region and an active emergency. Among the main criteria, financial access had the highest geometric mean or priority (0.214) and clinic activation had the lowest geometric mean or priority (0.129).
According to the 6 criteria mentioned as the affecting factors in the bed occupancy rate, In addition to providing high -quality services and enough insurance coverage, hospitals must pay more attention to more active clinics and emergencies as the input of patients to hospitals.