Hessen hospital landscape sees fewer beds and cases despite rising demand

Data from the Hessian State Statistical Office reveals a significant shift in the hospital landscape of Hessen between 1990 and 2024. During this 34-year period, the number of hospitals decreased by approximately 20 percent, falling from 187 to 150. Similarly, the number of hospital beds saw a nearly identical decline of almost 20 percent, dropping from 43,753 to 35,060.

Despite the reduction in facilities and beds, the total number of treated cases increased by roughly 21 percent, rising from 1,041,844 in 1990 to 1,261,310 in 2024. This has resulted in a 51 percent increase in the number of cases per hospital bed, rising from 23.8 to nearly 36.

A primary driver of this trend is the reduction in the average length of hospital stays. In 1990, patients stayed an average of 13.2 days, whereas by 2024, the average duration had decreased to 7.2 days, representing a 45 percent reduction in stay length.