Inpatient health care: hospital discharges

Hospital discharge statistics describe inpatient health care (hospital stays) in Austria. They provide a basis for health policy decisions, contribute to health reporting and public health, and are used for research on demographic and medical aspects of inpatient care. The statistics record patient-related characteristics (age, sex, place of residence), medical characteristics (discharge diagnosis ICD-10, medical procedures, length of stay) and hospital-specific characteristics of each hospitalisation. The data are based on the diagnosis and service reports drawn up by the hospitals in accordance with the system of “procedure-oriented hospital financing” on the basis of diagnosis-related groups (DRG).

The results of the hospital discharge statistics are published annually in late autumn. The legal basis for this is the Federal Act on Documentation in the Healthcare System (GDokG).

S: STATISTICS AUSTRIA, Statistics of Hospital Discharges; Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Reports on Diagnoses and Services (as at autumn of year following year under review). Compiled on 30 September 2024. – Reference to discharges from acute care hospitals in the year under review (inpatient stays including zero-night cases and deaths) of persons with domestic or foreign residence. – In 1997 there may be breaks in the time series due to the introduction of the DRG model (DRG: procedure-oriented hospital financing on the basis of diagnosis-related groups). – There were breaks in the time series in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

S: STATISTICS AUSTRIA, Statistics of Hospital Discharges; Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Reports on Diagnoses and Services (as at autumn of year following year under review). Compiled on 30 September 2024. – Reference to discharges in the year under review (inpatient stays including zero-night cases and deaths) of persons with domestic or foreign residence. – In the case of a zero night stay (day case), admission and discharge take place on the same calendar day. A day is counted if the patient was admitted at midnight (1 day = 1 overnight stay). – Median: for classified data. – In 1997 there may be breaks in the time series due to the introduction of the DRG model (DRG: procedure-oriented hospital financing on the basis of diagnosis-related groups). – There were breaks in the time series in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

S: STATISTICS AUSTRIA, Statistics of Hospital Discharges; Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Reports on Diagnoses and Services (as at autumn of year following year under review). Compiled on 30 September 2024. – Reference to discharges in the year under review (inpatient stays including zero-night stays and deaths) of persons with domestic or foreign residence. – In the case of a zero night stay (day case), admission and discharge take place on the same calendar day. A day is counted if the patient was admitted at midnight (1 day = 1 overnight stay). – Median: for classified data. – There were breaks in the time series in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

S: STATISTICS AUSTRIA, Statistics of Hospital Discharges; Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Reports on Diagnoses and Services (as at autumn of year following year under review). Compiled on 30 September 2024. – Reference to discharges in the year under review (inpatient stays including zero-night stays and deaths) of persons with domestic or foreign residence. – In 1997 there may be breaks in the time series due to the introduction of the DRG model (DRG: procedure-oriented hospital financing on the basis of diagnosis-related groups). – There were breaks in the time series in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inpatient hospital stays since 1989 (acute hospitals and hospitals in total)

Hospital discharges from acute care hospitals – detailed results

Hospital discharges from acute care hospitals since 1989 – detailed results (.ods)

Inpatient stays in acute hospitals by diagnosis

Hospital discharges by diagnosis, age, sex and federal province

Date		Title	PDF download
2024-10-22	file	Fewer hospital stays in 2023 again than before the pandemic	223.6 KB
2023-10-24	file	Fewer hospitalisations in 2022 than before the pandemic	196.2 KB
2022-11-15	file	Number of inpatient hospital stays increased slightly in 2021	285.5 KB

Date		Title	result	SDDS+ Special Data Dissemination Standards	PR PR press release
2025-10-24	calendar-alt	Hospital discharges 2024 Population and society / Health / Health care and expenditure	final		PR

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