More and more patients in clinics

Clinics: More and more patients and fewer and fewer beds

19/08/2011

Never before have so many patients been treated full-time in Germany's hospitals. According to evaluations of the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden, there is a continuous increase in patient numbers. And that, although the number of clinics and hospital beds continues „as sinking“ to be designated.

In Germany clinics have to accept and treat more patients from year to year. For years, by contrast, the number of hospital places has also been minimized. Accordingly, sick people are dismissed faster and faster to make room for new patients. This results from current calculations of the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden. According to this study, around 18 million people were admitted to full-time care in hospitals last year. This is a good 207,000 (plus 1.2 percent) more in-patient hospital treatments than in 2009. About 11 years ago, 17 million patients were treated in hospitals. In 1990, more than 20 years ago, there were about 14 million patients. This means an additional burden for hospitals of about 3 million patient admissions.

Declining number of hospital beds
In the same period, the reception capacity of 2065 hospitals declined. Currently, the clinics have about 503,000 beds (number from 2010). In 2000 there were still 560,000 and in 1990 about 660,000 hospital places. Therefore, it is no wonder that clinicians are beginning to compensate for missing beds. According to evaluations of statisticians, the relative duration of hospital stays decreased. In 2010, patients were hospitalized for an average of 7.9 days. The year before it was a smooth eight days and ten years ago, another 10 days.

It is striking that the hospital care is being privatized on and on. There is a clear trend towards private sponsorships. Still, well over half of all hospital beds are in public hands. But the proportion of hospital beds in private hands „is steadily increasing“, as can be read in the Wiesbaden situation report. Last year, 17 percent of all clinics in Germany were privately financed. The occupancy rate of the beds was on average 77.4 percent for all church, public and private sponsors.

More doctors employed in hospitals
At present, 134,000 doctors worked in hospitals. The total number of full-time employees in clinics was nearly 827,000 employees. According to the Federal Statistical Office, about 2.1 percent more physicians worked in hospitals than in the previous year. The number of employees (nurses, carers, cleaners) has increased by 2.4 percent. (Sb)

Also read:
Every tenth hospital treatment hurts
Hamburg: Number of hospital beds is increasing

Picture: Günter Havlena