The number of hospital beds provides an indication of the resources available for delivering services to inpatients in hospitals. The influence of the supply of hospital beds on hospital admission rates has been widely documented, confirming that a greater supply generally leads to greater admissions (Rohmer’s law that a “built bed is a filled bed”).
Germany, Austria and Bulgaria have the highest number of hospital beds per capita, with more than seven beds per 1 000 population in 2016, well above the EU average of just over five beds, and more than two‐times greater than the supply in Sweden, the United Kingdom and Denmark ( 7.22).
Since 2000, the number of hospital beds per capita has decreased to some extent at least in all EU countries. On average, it fell by almost 20%. This reduction has been particularly pronounced in Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The reduction in the supply of hospital beds has been accompanied by a reduction in hospital admissions in some countries and a reduction in average length of stays in nearly all countries (see indicator on average length of stay in Chapter 8).
Hospital admissions and discharges are highest in the three countries that have the highest number of hospital beds – Bulgaria, Germany and Austria. Hospital discharge rates in these countries are about 50% higher than the EU average. While differences in the clinical needs of patients may explain some of the variations in admission and discharge rates, these variations also likely reflect differences in the supply of beds, clinical practices and payment systems. Since 2000, hospital discharge rates have increased in Bulgaria and Germany.
Across EU countries, the main conditions leading to hospitalisation in 2016 were circulatory diseases, pregnancy and childbirth, injuries and other external causes, diseases of the digestive system, respiratory diseases and cancers.
Hospital discharge rates vary not only across countries but also within countries. In several European countries (e.g. Finland, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom), hospital medical admissions (excluding admissions for surgical interventions) vary by more than two-fold across different regions in the country. This may be related not only to differences in the supply of hospital beds, but also in the availability and quality of primary care services (OECD, 2014).
Hospital bed occupancy rates have increased over time in some countries that have relatively low number of hospital beds. This has been notably the case in Ireland where occupancy rates for curative (acute) care was approaching 100% in 2016, far above any other countries. In countries like Belgium and Germany, bed occupancy rates have remained relatively stable since 2000, at around 80%. The EU average has also been stable at 77% ( 7.24).
