Public and private hospitals in Spain 2020, by region

Catalonia was the Spanish autonomous community with the highest number of hospitals during the period under review, with 140 private hospitals and 61 public hospitals. Andalusia, the most populated region of Spain, featured 57 private hospitals and 49 public hospitals. Catalonia, with 140 private medical centers, was also the region that had registered the highest number of beds in private hospitals, with figures amounting to nearly 19.5 thousand.

Spain: number of hospitals

The number of hospitals in operation in Spain decreased slightly between 2002 and 2006 from 759 to 746 hospitals, although the figures picked up in 2018 at 782 hospitals, making this the year with the highest number of health care institutions on record. Between 2002 and 2020, the number of publicly owned hospitals increased by 34 establishments to 342 publicly owned hospitals in 2020.

Spain: public expenditure on health care

Public expenditure on health care in Spain also increased with more government spending directed towards health activities in the last few years. From 2010 to 2013, public expenditure on health experienced a sharp decrease, reaching its lowest point at 61.7 billion euros in 2013. Public spending picked up thereafter, with values exceeding 83 billion euros in 2020. Public expenditure on health care is expected to increase to a 7.1 percent share of GDP by 2050. As of 2020, expenditure on health care as a share of the Spanish GDP reached 7.5 percent.