Having recently moved to Spain, I’ve always been curious about the healthcare system here. I often hear that public healthcare is free but has long waiting lists, while private healthcare is fast but requires insurance. So, how many healthcare-related companies are there actually in Spain? The other day, I stumbled upon some interesting data on the National Statistics Institute’s website about [naming a company in Spain], and I thought I’d organize it and share it with you all. I’d love to hear from anyone who knows more about this topic!
According to the latest Central Business Register data from INE on [Spanish medical companies], as of the beginning of 2023, the total number of registered companies under the ‘Human health and social work activities’ category reached a staggering 212,507! That’s a huge number, accounting for almost 6.2% of all companies in Spain. It seems the health and wellness industry is indeed a very important part of Spanish society.
These 200,000+ companies are not all what we’d typically call ‘hospitals.’ This broad category is actually quite diverse and can be broken down into many sub-types. I’ve put together a simple summary of the main categories:
Main Types of Healthcare Companies
Hospital Activities
This refers to the large and medium-sized hospitals we are most familiar with, including both public and private ones. Examples include private hospital groups like Quirónsalud and HM Hospitales, as well as the public university hospitals found throughout the country. Although the number of hospitals themselves isn’t the largest, they form the core of the entire healthcare system.
Outpatient and Dental Clinics
This category is the largest by far! It includes general practitioner (GP) offices and specialist private practices commonly found in our neighborhoods, as well as the dental clinics you see on almost every street. For anyone interested in [researching Spanish medical providers], you’ll find these types of institutions are numerous, providing the most basic and convenient medical services. Sometimes, it feels much easier to see a dentist than to go to a large hospital.
Other Medical Activities
This also includes many services we might not notice as often, such as physical therapy centers, psychological counseling services, medical analysis laboratories, ambulance services, and more. Together, they form a complete healthcare service network. The table below gives a more intuitive look at the number of companies in some of these sub-sectors.
| Industry Sector | Approximate Number of Companies |
|---|
| Hospital activities | 800 |
| Outpatient and dental clinics | Over 100,000 |
| Other health activities | 40,000 |
Spain’s healthcare network is quite dense and well-developed. Whether you opt for the public system or have private insurance, you can generally find the services you need near where you live. Living in a country with such abundant medical resources definitely gives you a sense of security. Do you guys usually go to public or private healthcare? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments!
