The figures were released Tuesday by the Ministry of Health. More than 4,300 full hospital beds were closed in 2021 in French health facilities, which at the same time created 2,700 places for partial hospitalization, according to a study.
In addition to the Covid epidemic, which again caused the closure of pavilions and double rooms last year, hospital capacities have also suffered “staff limitations that do not allow beds to be maintained,” explains the Statistics Directorate of the Social Ministries (DREES). ). .
As of December 31, the 2,984 public and private hospitals had exactly 382,587 full hospital beds, or 4,316 fewer in a year. A provisional figure slightly lower than that of 2020 (-4,900) but still higher than the declines observed before the health crisis.
Less than Sarkozy
In total, more than 21,000 beds were eliminated during the period between the end of 2016 and the end of 2021, largely corresponding to Emmanuel Macron’s first five-year term. Double that under his predecessor François Hollande (-10,000) but significantly less than under Nicolas Sarkozy (-37,000).
This long-term trend “reflects the desire to reorganize the offer in an outpatient shift context”, an expression used to designate the growing participation of night care in the hospital, particularly in surgery.
The number of “day” hospital places has also continued to increase: in 2021, 2,743 were opened, bringing the total to 82,502, that is, 9,000 more in five years. Home hospitalization also registered a clear increase in capacity, 6.8% after a jump of more than 10% in 2020.
With 22,800 patients “capable of being cared for simultaneously in the territory”, this mode of care now represents “7.6% of the total capacity in full hospitalization” excluding psychiatry, compared to 2.1% in 2006.
Source: BFM TV
