The table compares the number of physicians and hospital beds per 1000 people, together with the average length of hospital stays, in Austria, France and Sweden in 1980, 1990, and 2000.
Overall, Sweden consistently had the highest number of hospital beds throughout the period, while France experienced a moderate decline in both the number of physicians and the average hospital stay. In contrast, Austria saw a notable increase in hospital bed provision over time.
In terms of physicians per 1000 people, Sweden recorded relatively high figures, starting at 3.6 in 1980, dropping to 3 in 1990, and then rising again to 3.8 in 2000. France, however, showed a steady decrease from 2.4 to 1.3 over the same period. Austria had the lowest number of doctors initially at 0.8 in 1980, but this figure gradually increased to 1 by 2000.
Regarding hospital beds, Sweden again led with 6.4 beds per 1000 people in both 1980 and 1990, rising slightly to 6.9 in 2000. Austria experienced a substantial growth in this category, more than doubling from 1.4 in 1980 to 3.7 in 2000. France also showed an upward trend, from 0.2 to 1.6 beds per 1000 people.
As for the average length of hospital stays, France saw a consistent decline from 9 days in 1980 to 5 days in 2000. Austria’s data fluctuated, falling sharply from 18 to 6 days between 1980 and 1990 before returning to 18 days in 2000. Sweden also experienced a decrease overall, from 23 to 21 days, including a dip to 18 days in 1990.