Section 1260.20  Reserve Bed Capacity

a)         The category of reserve beds is established by the State Board in order that hospitals may designate a number of beds which exist within the hospital but are used only for overflow.  These beds constitute a reserve bed capacity which will only be utilized when the patients census levels exceed operational norms.

b)         As services can have distinct physical areas within the hospital, the concept of a bed reserve applies to each service.  Reserve beds must be in a patient room inventoried pursuant to 77 Ill. Adm. Code 1110.220. These patient rooms include private rooms having semiprivate capability; patient rooms utilized for non-patient services (i.e. offices, conference areas, etc.) and patient rooms that are not utilized due to low patient census.