Public and private hospitals in Spain 2021, by region

Catalonia was the Spanish autonomous community with the highest number of hospitals in 2021, with 142 private and 62 public units. Andalusia, the most populated region of Spain, featured 58 private and 50 public hospitals. Catalonia, with 142 private institutions, was also the region that had registered the highest number of beds in private hospitals, with figures amounting to nearly 20,000. 

Number of hospitals

There was an overall increase in the number of hospitals in operation in Spain during the last two decades, going from 741 in 2003 to 776 in 2021. During that period, the year with the highest number was 2018, with a total of 782 units. The number of publicly owned hospitals in Spain went from 300 in 2003 to 346 in 2021, with its highest value recorded in 2013. 

Public expenditure on healthcare

Public expenditure on healthcare in Spain also increased, with more government spending directed towards health 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 87 billion euros in 2021. As of that year, expenditure on healthcare as a share of the Spanish GDP reached 7.43 percent.