How Dr. Joseph Bonney’s ‘No Bed Syndrome’ moved from Ghana hospitals to global use

A term now widely used to describe hospital overcrowding and delayed admissions was first coined by Dr. Joseph Bonney, an emergency medicine specialist at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, according to a review of available evidence. Dr. Bonney introduced the term “No Bed Syndrome” in a 2017 paper published in Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, providing what researchers say is the earliest documented use in academic literature. Searches of scholarly work, media reports and grey literature show no prior reference to the term before that publication. A 2023 review also found no earlier usage, reinforcing his position as its originator.

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