In a scenario in which it is urgent to move towards a more sustainable and efficient health model, Private health continues to consolidate as an essential pillar to guarantee the assistance response demanded by the population. Beyond its weight at quantitative level, its role translates into a key contribution in accessibility, innovation and healthcare continuity.
This is reflected in the annual report “Observatory of the Private Health Sector 2025 ″ published in April by the IDIS Foundation, which precisely details how the private sector not only complements, but strengthens the health system. Specifically, it performs 41.6% of surgical interventions, with more than 800,000 interventions with major outpatient surgery, which represents 43.4% of the total. Likewise, it serves 29.7% of hospital highs and 33.6% of the emergency. “Public health cannot face the structural challenges that it has been dragging for years”he explains Marta VillanuevaGeneral Director of the Institute for the Development and Integration of Health (IDIS Foundation). “A joint strategy that incorporates all resources is essential available to offer citizens accessible and efficient health care ”.
The private sector covers about 29% of surgical interventions more complex. By specialties, traumatology represents 37.1%of private surgical activity, followed by angiology and vascular surgery (35.8%), general and digestive surgery (33.1%) and urology and gynecology and obstetrics, both with 30.9%.
In relation to general care activity, Private hospitals exceed 30% in terms of the volume of medical consultations and hospitalization days. According to this report, the most striking value in the case of highs is that of traumatology, which amounts to 35%, followed by surgery and surgical specialties, with 31.5% and 23.3% in the case of rehabilitation. In terms of stays, psychiatry (31%) and rehabilitation (30.4%) are the care areas in which private activity has greater weight compared to the total.
Socio -health care activity and mental health
The private sector plays a fundamental role in socio -health care and in the field of mental health. According to the National Hospital Catalog of the Ministry of Health There are 92 hospitals specialized in mental health and addiction treatment, of which 64 (70%) are private. In addition, this sector has 62% of the total available beds. With regard to mental health centers without internment, 51% also belongs to the private sphere.
In our country there are 3,904 private residences of a total of 5,573. Most of these private residences have an average size (between 25 and 99 places) or large (more than 100 places), and fulfill an essential function in the care of the elderly; A role that has been reinforced over time: in 2016 there were around 272,000 places in residences, of which 72% were private, a figure that grew to 394,000 in 2022, with 74% under private ownership, which represents an annual growth compound of 2.3%.
The data provided by this report reflect how Private sector activity contributes to improving the global functioning of the health systemfavoring the construction of a more integrated model, based on collaboration, the joint use of available resources and, above all, in better care for patients.
