EU hospital bed count at 507 per 100 000 people

In 2024, the EU had 507 hospital beds per 100 000 people, a small decrease from the 511 registered in 2023. The number of hospital beds has been decreasing since the time series started in 2009 (582 hospital beds per 100 000 people), reflecting the impact of scientific and technological developments that shortened the average length of stay for many in-patient procedures or replaced them with out-patient or day care alternatives.

Among the EU countries, Bulgaria reported the highest ratio relative to its population size, with an average of 870 hospital beds per 100 000 people, followed by Germany (759), Romania (731), Austria (655) and Czechia (639).

Conversely, 6 EU countries had less than 300 hospital beds per 100 000 people, marking the lowest ratios: Sweden (187), the Netherlands (221), Denmark (226), Finland (248), Spain (283) and Ireland (293).

Source dataset: hlth_rs_bds1

In terms of long-term care beds in nursing and other residential long-term care facilities, in 2024, the highest rates were registered in the Netherlands (1 390 long-term care beds per 100 000 people), Sweden (1 298) and Belgium (1 249).

Greece (20 long-term care beds per 100 000 people) and Bulgaria (26) registered the lowest rates, followed by Portugal (94).

Source dataset: hlth_rs_bdltc