Health in St. Gallen (Ostschweiz, Switzerland): official figures
Health spending by the cantonal government of St. Gallen reached CHF 863.48 million in 2024, CHF 1,599 per resident, 11th lowest of 26 cantons and 16.2% of cantonal spending.
How much does St. Gallen pay for hospitals?
On cantonal spending for hospitals and nursing homes per resident, St. Gallen came 13th highest of 26 cantons in 2024, against CHF 1,488 for all cantons together.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyHow many hospitals are there in St. Gallen?
St. Gallen had 16 hospitals with 2,111 beds in 2024, or 3.9 beds per 1,000 residents (Switzerland: 4.2).
Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copyMore figures
- Hospitals and nursing homes absorbed CHF 809.22 million of that in 2024 (CHF 1,498 per resident), while ambulatory care received CHF 8.63 million and prevention CHF 33.96 million. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Cantonal health spending per resident in St. Gallen decreased by 3.3% from 2019 (CHF 1,654) to 2024. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Of the hospital beds in St. Gallen in 2024, 1,283 for acute care, 500 in psychiatry and 328 for rehabilitation. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
- Hospitals in St. Gallen recorded 655,356 patient days in 2023, with an average bed occupancy of 84.4%. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
- In 2010 St. Gallen counted 16 hospitals and 2,325 beds, so the number of beds had fallen by 9.2% by 2024. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
- Hospitals in St. Gallen ran 53 operating theatres and 23 delivery rooms in 2024. Source: Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS) · saved copy
How St. Gallen compares with other cantons in Switzerland
Cantonal health spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
St. Gallen ranks 16 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal health spending per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Valais / Wallis | CHF 1,670 |
| 14 | Basel-Landschaft | CHF 1,655 |
| 15 | Fribourg / Freiburg | CHF 1,634 |
| 16 | St. Gallen | CHF 1,599 |
| 17 | Graubünden / Grigioni / Grischun | CHF 1,588 |
| 18 | Ticino | CHF 1,578 |
| 19 | Thurgau | CHF 1,557 |
Cantonal spending on hospitals and nursing homes per resident (CHF) (2024)
St. Gallen ranks 13 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal spending on hospitals and nursing homes per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Bern / Berne | CHF 1,550 |
| 11 | Basel-Landschaft | CHF 1,540 |
| 12 | Glarus | CHF 1,515 |
| 13 | St. Gallen | CHF 1,498 |
| 14 | Fribourg / Freiburg | CHF 1,454 |
| 15 | Thurgau | CHF 1,424 |
| 16 | Ticino | CHF 1,391 |
Hospital beds per 1,000 residents (2024)
St. Gallen ranks 12 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Hospital beds per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Bern / Berne | 4.5 |
| 10 | Zug | 4.2 |
| 11 | Vaud | 4.2 |
| 12 | St. Gallen | 3.9 |
| 13 | Luzern | 3.7 |
| 14 | Zürich | 3.7 |
| 15 | Valais / Wallis | 3.5 |
More on St. Gallen: overview · economy and jobs · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · Ostschweiz · Switzerland
Sources
- Federal Statistical Office (BFS/OFS): Angebot der Krankenhäuser nach Grossregion, Kanton und Betriebstyp, 2010-2024 (Krankenhausstatistik, px-x-1404010100_102), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 48e34cd9539b…)
- Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF): Detaillierte Daten FS und GFS Modell: Standardauswertungen (financial statistics of the Confederation, cantons, communes and social insurance, 1990-2024; standardauswertung.csv with its codelist, saved zipped), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5fec658d1506…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.