It is the fifth-lengthiest average stay in the European Union, coming in behind Hungary, Czechia, Germany and France.
The average length of stay for in-patients is calculated from the total number of nights spent in hospitals divided by the total number of discharges. It should be noted that the period under analysis coincides with periods of the Covid-19 epidemic. The figures for Latvia exclude the stays of liveborn infants.
In 2021 (or the latest year for which data are available), the average length of a hospital stay for in-patients ranged in most EU Member States from 5.1 days in Cyprus to 8.8 days in Germany. The Netherlands was below this range (4.3 days) while Czechia (9.5 days) and Hungary (9.7 days) were above it. Among the non-member countries for which data are available, Serbia reported a relatively high average (10.9 days).
The figures also showed that the average length of a Latvian hospital stay has increased by about one day since 2016. The largest increases over the period were in Latvia (up from 7.6 to 8.6 days) and Spain (up from 7.0 to 8.3 days).
In addition, males in Latvia spend about a day longer in hospital than females (approximately 9 days as opposed to 8 days).
