Average Daily Census (ADC)
The mean number of patients occupying beds in a facility per day over a defined period, calculated by dividing total patient-days by the number of days. It is a core measure of inpatient occupancy and capacity planning.
What is Average Daily Census (ADC)?
Average Daily Census (ADC) is the mean number of patients occupying beds in a facility on a typical day over a defined period. It is calculated by dividing the total number of patient-days during the period by the number of days in that period.
Because it averages occupancy across many days, ADC smooths out day-to-day swings and gives a representative picture of how full a facility tends to be. It is most meaningful for settings that admit patients to beds over time.
Why does ADC matter for facilities?
ADC is a core measure of how heavily a facility's bed capacity is being used, which informs staffing, budgeting, and capacity planning. A consistently high census may signal the need for more resources, while a low one can point to underused capacity.
It is primarily an inpatient measure, so it speaks to settings where patients stay overnight rather than to same-day surgical models. For organizations comparing care settings, ADC helps quantify the occupancy demands of bed-based facilities.
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