Definition: Total number of hospital beds per 10 000 population.
Numerator: Number of hospital beds (excluding labour and delivery beds).
Denominator: Total population.
Disaggregation: Distribution (by province/district), ownership (public/private), type of bed.
Data Requirements: A national database is usually maintained. Regular updates through surveys or facility censuses are needed. See also: Number and distribution of inpatient beds per 10,000 population
Data Sources: Routine facility information systems/national database Health facility census
Purpose: The indicator contributes to the measurement of facility infrastructure management, such as physical availability and accessibility of health services.
References: World Health Organization (WHO). 2015 Global Reference List of 100 Core Health Indicators.; 2015. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/173589/1/WHO_HIS_HSI_2015.3_eng.pdf World Health Organization. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Review of National Health Strategies: A Country-Led Platform for Information and Accountability.; 2011. http://www.who.int/healthinfo/country_monitoring_evaluation/1085_IER_131011_web.pdf Further information and related links Monitoring the building blocks of health systems: a handbook of indicators and their measurement strategies. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2010 (http://www.who.int/healthinfo/systems/WHO_MBHSS_2010_full_web.pdf?ua=1). World health statistics 2014. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2014 (http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/112738/1/9789240692671_eng.pdf?ua=1).