February 23, 2023 — What are the top reasons people are admitted to hospital in Canada? What are the top 10 surgeries in each province and territory?
Use the key findings and data tables to explore hospital activity in the second year of the pandemic, plus information on in-hospital births, standardized hospitalization rates and average lengths of stay.
Key findings
- In 2021–2022, there were almost 2.9 million acute inpatient hospitalizations in Canada, up from 2.7 million visits in 2020–2021, the first year of the pandemic. After adjusting for differences in age, sex and population growth, the hospitalization rate was 6,983 per 100,000 population.
- The age-adjusted average length of stay (LOS) in hospital was 7.2 days in 2021–2022, similar to the previous year.
- The most common reason for hospitalization in 2021–2022 was giving birth, with an average acute LOS of 2.1 days. This was followed by COVID-19 (10.1 days) and heart failure (9.2 days).
- The most common inpatient surgery in Canada in 2021–2022 was a Caesarean section (C-section), with an average acute LOS of 2.7 days. This was followed by treatment of fractures (10.2 days) and hip replacement (6.3 days).
- 5.8% of hospital stays had alternate level of care (ALC) days. These are days when the patient is occupying a hospital bed while waiting for more appropriate services in another care setting, such as chronic or complex continuing care, mental health or rehabilitation.
- While the gradual decline in the rate of babies born in hospital in Canada continued, the rate rebounded to 94 per 10,000 population in 2021–2022 after an observed drop to 92 per 10,000 in 2020–2021, the first year of the pandemic.
- The total C-section rate has increased gradually over the years and was 31.7% in 2021–2022, an increase from 28.8% in 2017–2018.
Featured material
Inpatient Hospitalization, Surgery and Newborn Statistics
Learn more about hospitalization rates, in-hospital births and the top reasons for hospitalization and surgery.
Hospitalization and Childbirth — Supplementary Statistics
Learn more about hospitalization volumes, lengths of stay and standardized rates by sex, age group, and province or territory from 1995–1996 onward. Tables also include childbirth indicators by place of residence.