Number of hospital beds in China 2013-2023

In 2023, hospitals across China had approximately eight million beds for patients, representing an increase of 4.4 percent from the previous year. 

Rising government investment

Since the start of this century, the Chinese government has continuously increased its investment in the healthcare system, providing more funding to public hospitals in the country. At the same time, thanks to the establishment of the Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance program in 1998, and the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme and Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance in the early 2000s, the healthcare system gained a more stable source of funding for medical expenses. As a result, the number of healthcare providers, hospital beds, and healthcare professionals in China has increased dramatically, meeting the rising medical needs of the Chinese people.

Hospitals remain overcrowded

Nevertheless, due to the absence of an effective hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system and a lack of public trust in primary care providers, China's hospitals have to take on primary care responsibilities and receive a large number of outpatients with minor illnesses. At the same time, China's overall healthcare expenditure remains relatively low, and resources are still in short supply. These factors have all contributed to the continued overcrowding in China's hospitals, especially in tier-three hospitals.