TOKYO -- Nearly 35% of acute care beds in Japanese hospitals have failed to serve their intended purpose, a serious misallocation of human and financial resources, according to a study by Nikkei and the Japan Center for Economic Research.
Acute care refers to the services given to badly injured or severely ill patients; it forms the core of Japan's medical network, with about 60% of all beds available, excluding beds meant for patients with an infectious disease or in need of psychiatric care.
