Inpatient health care: hospital discharges

Inpatient healthcare: 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 Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Reports on Diagnoses and Services (as at summer of year following year under review). Compiled on 30 September 2025. – Reference to inpatient stays in acute care hospitals (formal discharges) in the year under review (including zero-night stays and including deaths) of persons with domestic or foreign residence. Outpatient visits to hospital outpatient departments are not included. – 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). – In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a decline in hospital stays.

S: STATISTICS AUSTRIA, Statistics of Hospital Discharges; Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Reports on Diagnoses and Services (as at summer of year following year under review). Compiled on 30 September 2025. – Reference to inpatient stays (formal discharges) in the year under review (including zero-night stays and including deaths) of persons with domestic or foreign residence. – For zero-night stays (day cases), admission and discharge take place on the same calendar day. Zero-night stays are excluded from from length-of-stay calculations (one inpatient day corresponds to one 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). – In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a decline in hospital stays.

S: STATISTICS AUSTRIA, Statistics of Hospital Discharges; Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Reports on Diagnoses and Services (as at summer of year following year under review). Compiled on 30 September 2025. – Reference to inpatient stays (formal discharges) in the year under review (including zero-night stays and including deaths) of persons with domestic or foreign residence. Outpatient visits to hospital outpatient departments are not included. – In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a decline in hospital stays.

S: STATISTICS AUSTRIA, Statistics of Hospital Discharges; Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Reports on Diagnoses and Services (as at summer of year following year under review). Compiled on 30 September 2025. – Reference to inpatient stays (formal discharges) in the year under review (including zero-night stays and including deaths) of persons with domestic or foreign residence. Outpatient visits to hospital outpatient departments are not included. – 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). – In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a decline in hospital stays.

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
2025-10-22	file	17% fewer inpatient hospital stays than in 2000	395.2 KB
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

Date		Title	result	SDDS+ Special Data Dissemination Standards	PR PR press release
2026-10-22	calendar-alt	Hospital discharges 2025 Population and society / Health / Health care and expenditure	final		PR

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