The decrease is due to higher costs for hospitals in terms of energy and personnel. On the other hand, turnover grew – by more than 3.4 percent – to 33.6 billion euros.
The overall turnover grew, also thanks to the increase in the number of visitors, by 2.3 percent. But the extra turnover has not compensated for the increase in costs. Energy prices, in particular, have also proved to be a bad setback for this sector. “There are even hospitals where energy costs have gone up more than 50 percent,” says Intrakoop.
Absenteeism in hospitals rose to 7.1 per cent, the highest level for more than a decade, and this, together with already existing staff shortages, resulted in extra costs for self-employed and temporary replacement workers.
Intrakoop, together with accountants and consultants from Verstegen, examined the figures of 71 hospitals, which together represent around 94% of the total turnover of the sector.