The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the declining number of hospital beds in Europe, with the average dropping from 563 to 516 beds per 100,000 people from 2012 to 2022. Bulgaria has the highest ratio of beds, while Sweden has the lowest. The decline is attributed to various factors, including healthcare system differences and a shift towards outpatient care. Finland and the Netherlands saw the most significant declines, while Bulgaria and Turkey increased their bed capacities. The article emphasizes the need for improved hospital bed capacity in light of future health crises. Teljes cikk (Euronews.com)