Luxembourg's hospital network comprises ten hospitals operating across a dozen sites, providing roughly 2,700 beds for patients. This equates to just under four hospital beds per 1,000 residents – a figure that situates Luxembourg on par with other Western European countries.
Under the new hospital law, there is potential to further expand this capacity. As of this year, the maximum number of hospital beds could be raised to around 3,550, with approximately 2,550 of these designated for acute care. This adjustment is aimed at meeting future healthcare demands and improving patient access.
The latest 'Carte Sanitaire', published on Tuesday by the National Health Observatory (Observatoire national de la santé), indicates a steady rise in the number of hospital doctors, now totalling around 1,500. Overall, Luxembourg's hospitals employ roughly 10,500 people, including both clinical and administrative staff, tasked with patient care and hospital management.
The average time a patient spends in emergency departments remains high, at an average of three hours. Despite this, only 14% of those admitted to emergency services require hospitalisation for further treatment.
Emergency departments continue to face high demand: for 2024, they are expected to handle about 269,000 visits, equating to an average of 734 patients per day. Of these, one in ten is a person aged over 75, while children account for every third admission. Hospitals are thus required to manage a diverse and growing patient flow across age groups.
On average, patients spend about seven days in hospital, while annual bed occupancy rates have climbed to 78%. The number of outpatient surgeries is also rising, reflecting a positive trend towards more ambulatory care – a key objective for the health sector.
