People are spending less time in hospitals these days.

In 1975, there was no such thing as "day surgery". Now it's common to go into a hospital for surgery at 6:00am and be ready to go home by 2:00pm same day.

In 1975, there were virtually NO free standing medical clinics and ER's in the U.S.. These days, they are all over the place. People don't necessarily have to go to a hospital for treatments, xray or simple procedures.

Surgeries have also changed and become less invasive (less traumatic). In 1975, if you needed an appendix removed or gall bladder... it was a major abdominal incision and weeks of recovery in a hospital. These days, it's done by laparoscopic surgery through a few small holes less than the size of a dime... and you go home same day. In 1975, if you needed a knee replacement, they had to cut both bones, remove the joint, insert rods into the leg bones... and it took 2 months to recover. These days, they install pre-made caps over the bone ends, surgery is computer guided, it only takes about 1 hour to complete... and you're walking the next day.

No need for as many hospital beds.

People are spending less time in hospitals these days.

In 1975, there was no such thing as "day surgery". Now it's common to go into a hospital for surgery at 6:00am and be ready to go home by 2:00pm same day.

In 1975, there were virtually NO free standing medical clinics and ER's in the U.S.. These days, they are all over the place. People don't necessarily have to go to a hospital for treatments, xray or simple procedures.