brigidm (asker) Nov 27, 2011:

I don't think the difference lies there, Charles. "Average Number of Bed Days* During the Preceding 12 Months Among Persons Aged >18 Years, by Age Group --- United States, 2003." "Average Number of Bed Days* During the Preceding 12 Months Among Persons Aged >18 Years, by Age Group --- United States, 2003..."* Bed days are defined as days spent as an overnight patient in a hospital or days on which a person was kept in bed for more than half a day because of illness or injury." http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5432a7.htm .
From what I could see, it looked as if the difference lay between the health industry and the hotel industry. My client, a physician who has worked in the UK, approved it.

Charles Ek Nov 26, 2011:

Needs closer examination? Brigid, I see the larger number of hits now for "bed day". However, I found this to muddy the waters, at http://www.oahhs.org/data/hospital-financial.html:

"Occupancy Rate: [Formula] Inpatient Days / Bed Days, where bed days equals number of staffed beds multiplied by number of days in the reporting period. Average percent of staffed beds occupied during the reporting period."

But then there's this from a UK source at http://www.ic.nhs.uk/news-and-events/press-office/press-rele...

"Provisional figures from The NHS Information Centre show the number of hospital bed days taken up by flu sufferers in 2009 was up 700 per cent on 2008."

I wonder whether it's a US vs. UK difference, or simply a confused pattern of usage within the industry?

brigidm (asker) Nov 14, 2011:

Actually I'm not sure... I subsequently got a lot more relevant hits with "bed day"....