Hospitals are one of the most vital cornerstones of every modern health system. While each country has their own individual healthcare system, most European nations have some type of universal healthcare. They can be roughly categorized into three systems: single-payer, socialized, and privatized but regulated.
Number of hospitals and hospital beds in Europe
Despite a continued increase in health spending, the
total number of hospitals in Europe has decreased over the past few decades, along with the number of hospital beds. Hospital bed density varies greatly from one country to another. In 2021, the
number of hospital beds available per 100,000 people was over 700 beds in Bulgaria, Germany, and Romania. On the other hand, Sweden and Liechtenstein had less than 250 beds available per 100,000 inhabitants.
European hospital workforce
Hospitals are some of the biggest employers in Europe and provide millions of jobs. In 2021, hospitals in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Turkey all employed over a million people. However, when looking at the
number of physicians employed in hospitals, Germany ranked the highest. Germany also employed the greatest
number of nurses and midwives in hospitals. While the majority of
Europeans were satisfied with their country’s healthcare system, this share has been gradually decreasing. Nevertheless, hospitals in Europe generally provide high standards of care and some are among the
top-ranking hospitals in the world.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no
liability for the information given being complete or correct.
Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date
data than referenced in the text.
