Hospital beds transcend politics, urging evidence-based care reforms

In an opinion piece, the writer emphasizes that health crises erase partisan identities, as patients and their families simply seek timely, safe care. He illustrates this with the hypothetical of two lawmakers—one Republican, one Democrat—recovering side by side, caring only about their treatment. Drawing on more than 25 years of research, he explains that uneven scheduling of elective procedures creates artificial peaks that strain resources and jeopardize emergency care.

Real-world examples from Cincinnati Children’s, The Ottawa Hospital, and Boston Medical Center show that redistributing scheduled work can boost revenue, cut mortality, and eliminate surgery cancellations. The author urges the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to sponsor demonstration projects and reward hospitals that adopt such evidence-based scheduling, without awaiting new legislation. He frames the issue as a shared American aspiration for compassionate, efficient health care, transcending party lines.