In 370 AD, St. Basil the Great founded the first-ever hospital in Cappadocia (modern-day Turkey). And since then, hospitals have been a safeguard of communities around the world. These are places for care, medication, treatment, and also research. Access to hospitals shows us the Quality of Life of a city. Remember, the quality of care is directly proportionate to the quality of life.
Today, we will take a look at the largest hospitals in the world. These hospitals are a refuge for the sick and a care center for people of all ages.
Top 17 Largest Hospitals in the World: In-Depth Look at the Medical Giants
The estimated total number of hospitals worldwide is about 2,15,977, projected by the year 2026. In 2025, about 2,15,037 hospitals in the world, out of which we have selected 17 of these hospitals based on their capacity.
To rank these hospitals, we have taken into consideration their capacity for patient intake. Here are those at the top of the list:
| Rank | Hospital Name | Country | Continent/Region | Capacity (by Bed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University | China | Asia | 7,000 |
| 2 | Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) | India | Asia | 5,400 |
| 3 | King George’s Medical University Hospital | India | Asia | 4,500 |
| 4 | West China Hospital | China | Asia | 4,300 |
| 5 | Ankara Bilkent City Hospital | Turkey | Europe/Asia | 3,810 |
| 6 | National Hospital of Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | Asia | 3,404 |
| 7 | Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital | South Africa | Africa | 3,200 |
| 8 | Clinical Center of Serbia | Serbia | Europe | 3,150 |
| 9 | Istanbul Basaksehir City Hospital | Turkey | Europe/Asia | 2,682 |
| 10 | Amrita Hospital | India | Asia | 2,600 |
| 11 | Asan Medical Center | South Korea | Asia | 2,432 |
| 12 | Seoul National University Hospital | South Korea | Asia | 1,616 |
| 13 | Jackson Memorial Hospital | USA | North America | 1,550 |
| 14 | King Saud Medical City | Saudi Arabia | Asia | 1,500 |
| 15 | Mayo Clinic | USA | North America | 1,265 |
| 16 | Mount Sinai Medical Center | USA | North America | 1,171 |
| 17 | Johns Hopkins Hospital | USA | North America | 1,162 |
1. First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University
- Location: Henan, China
- Founded in: 1928
The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in Henan, China, focuses on providing comprehensive care to its patients. Established in 1928, it is one of the world’s largest hospitals by capacity, offering over 7000 beds.
The hospital handles millions of annual outpatient visits and surgeries, integrating cutting-edge technology like 5G and AI for enhanced remote care and diagnostics. All this technological integration ensures specialist expertise reaches more people. The hospital is a Level 3, Grade A facility.
2. Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS)
- Location: Patna, India
- Founded in: 1983
The Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) in Patna, Bihar, is a crucial center for advanced patient care and medical education. It functions as a super-specialty referral hospital, currently offering over 5,400 beds and covering an area of 130.20 acres. There are expansion plans for the hospital at work.
IGIMS provides complex surgical and medical treatments across 40 departments. As one of the largest hospitals in the world, it strives to offer high-quality tertiary care to people in Bihar and the surrounding states.
3. King George’s Medical University Hospital
- Location: Uttar Pradesh, India
- Founded in: 1905
King George’s Medical University Hospital is one of the oldest and most respected medical institutions in India. As a 4,500-bed facility, it provides comprehensive, highly specialized care to over 15 lakhs patients annually.
This university-affiliated hospital is a major tertiary referral center for the region. It is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Indian Council of Medical Research. The institute focuses on clinical excellence, innovative research, and training the next generation of healthcare professionals.
4. West China Hospital
- Location: Sichuan, China
- Founded in: 1892
Founded in 1892 in Chengdu, the West China Hospital is recognized as one of China’s top three medical centers. It serves patients with a comprehensive range of specialties and is the world’s largest single-site hospital, providing around 4,300 beds.
Over 7.5 million people visited the hospital in 2023, benefiting from advanced treatments in areas like organ transplantation and neurosurgery. The hospital’s focus is on complex and severe cases as well as global medical excellence.
5. Ankara Bilkent City Hospital
- Location: Ankara, Turkey
- Founded in: 2019
Opened in 2019, the Ankara Bilkent City Hospital is a modern medical complex dedicated to comprehensive patient care. As part of Turkey’s healthcare modernization initiative, it has a vast capacity of 3,804 beds across eight specialized hospitals.
The facility offers specialized services, such as oncology and neurology. It has modern infrastructure to efficiently serve thousands of patients and emergency cases daily. The hospital combines advanced technology with compassionate care to achieve optimal results.
6. National Hospital of Sri Lanka
- Location: Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Founded in: 1864
The National Hospital of Sri Lanka in Colombo is the country’s oldest and leading medical center, founded in 1864. With over 3,400 beds, it serves as the central referral point for complex cases, assisting over 2 million people with outpatient visits annually.
It is vital for trauma and specialty care in Sri Lanka. It features 21 operating theaters and numerous specialized units. Beyond medical support, the hospital is also training the next generation of medical professionals.
7. Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital
- Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Founded in: 1942
The Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, South Africa, is the largest in Africa, serving a vast community. With around 3,200 beds, it manages high volumes of patients, including nearly 500,000 outpatient visits annually.
It is a critical center for trauma, emergencies, and maternity care. It handles about 70% emergency admissions. The hospital also plays a key role in training future doctors and nurses across the region.
8. Clinical Center of Serbia
- Location: Belgrade, Serbia
- Founded in: 1983
The Clinical Center of Serbia is the country’s central academic medical hub. Serving approximately one million patients annually, it is one of the largest single-campus hospitals in Europe. With approximately 3,150 beds, it ranks 8th among the largest hospitals in the world.
Opened in 1983 and recently modernized, it houses 41 units that provide specialized, high-level care and emergency services, while also supporting significant medical education and research.
9. Istanbul Basaksehir City Hospital
- Location: Istanbul, Turkey
- Founded in: 2020
The Istanbul Başakşehir City Hospital is one of Europe’s largest medical complexes, built with an impressive 2,682-bed capacity. It provides centralized, specialized care across eight hospitals, from cardiology to pediatrics.
Designed for safety, it’s the world’s largest building with seismic base isolators to withstand earthquakes. The design ensures continuous care for up to 32,700 daily patients in its state-of-the-art facilities.
10. Amrita Hospital
- Location: Faridabad, India
- Founded in: 2022
Amrita Hospital in Faridabad is the largest private multi-specialty hospital in India and also the largest private hospital in the world. It offers over 2,600 beds for comprehensive care. The facility provides advanced treatment across 81 specialties, from transplants to cardiac sciences.
It emphasizes patient-focused care and innovation. The hospital works with cutting-edge medical technology. They have a large dedicated research block to improve future diagnostics and treatments.
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11. Asan Medical Center
- Location: Seoul, South Korea
- Founded in: 1989
The Asan Medical Center in Seoul is the nation’s largest hospital. It provides highly specialized care across 56 departments. With over 2,400 beds, it serves around 2.8 million patients annually.
It is a leader in organ transplantation and cancer care, achieving world-class outcomes. As a major teaching hospital, it integrates advanced technology and research. This approach facilitates a thorough and patient-centered treatment process.
12. Seoul National University Hospital
- Location: Seoul, South Korea
- Founded in: 1885
The Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH), founded in 1885, is Korea’s leading national hospital and academic center. With approximately 1,616 beds across its branches, it offers comprehensive, specialized care to thousands of patients daily.
It is a trusted institution, home to Korea’s first Children’s Hospital and a Cancer Center. The medical institution focuses on advanced treatments. Their goal is to pioneer research and patient safety.
13. King Saud Medical City
- Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Founded in: 1956
King Saud Medical City (KSMC) in Riyadh is Saudi Arabia’s largest hospital, established in 1956. With approximately 1,500 beds, it serves as a major comprehensive tertiary care and trauma center for the region.
The medical city offers specialized patient services through several facilities. It also includes a women’s hospital and a dedicated kidney center. All the departments ensure access to vital multi-disciplinary care.
14. Jackson Memorial Hospital
- Location: Florida, USA
- Founded in: 1918
Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida, is a vital public safety net hospital and one of the largest in the U.S. Established in 1918, it provides comprehensive care, including the nation’s largest transplant institute and the county’s only Level 1 Trauma Center.
With around 1,550 beds, it serves over 1.5 million people annually. Besides patient care, it also trains future doctors as the primary teaching hospital for the University of Miami. It is one of the most important hospitals in the United States.
15. Mayo Clinic
- Location: Minnesota, USA
- Founded in: 1889
Founded in 1889, the Mayo Clinic is a globally renowned non-profit medical center dedicated to integrated patient care, research, and education. With its main campus in Rochester, Minnesota, and sites in Arizona and Florida, it offers comprehensive care across more than 140 specialties.
The clinic is renowned for treating complex cases. It has pioneered medical advancements in various sectors. Mayo Clinic is regularly ranked among the best hospitals worldwide.
16. Mount Sinai Medical Center
- Location: New York, USA
- Founded in: 1852
Founded in 1852, the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan is one of the largest private teaching hospitals in the U.S and 16th in the list of the largest hospitals in the world. With approximately 1,171 beds, it offers comprehensive patient care across over 40 specialties.
As the core of the Mount Sinai Health System, it’s a hub for advanced medicine. The hospital is dedicated to both clinical excellence and pioneering research through the Icahn School of Medicine.
17. Johns Hopkins Hospital
- Location: Baltimore, USA
- Founded in: 1889
The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, founded in 1889, is a cornerstone of modern American medicine. It provides advanced patient care and is the teaching hospital for Johns Hopkins University.
Known for pioneering medical practices like the residency system, this institution offers comprehensive, highly specialized care across over 70 centers, continuing a legacy of integrating clinical treatment with groundbreaking research.
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Conclusion
The scale and capacity of the largest hospitals in the world reflect an incredible commitment to community health and specialized care. These major medical centers handle millions of patients annually, making them crucial hubs for global well-being, trauma intervention, and medical education.
These healthcare giants are more than just large buildings; they are centers of innovation. By integrating advanced technology like AI, they are supporting extensive research and prioritizing complex surgical and transplantation services. The largest hospitals in the world continue to elevate the standards of medical excellence. They ensure that high-quality, specialized treatment is accessible to large populations worldwide.
FAQs
1. What is the difference between primary, secondary, and tertiary care?
Tertiary care, often provided by these large hospitals, is highly specialized and complex care. It requires referral and involves advanced procedures like organ transplantation or specialized trauma surgery.
2. What does a Level 1 Trauma Center designation mean?
It signifies the highest level of trauma care available. It requires 24/7 access to trauma surgeons and specialists, a comprehensive injury prevention program, and teaching/research efforts.
3. Are the largest hospitals in the world primarily public or private institutions?
They are a mix; many are large government-affiliated teaching hospitals (public), while others are run by large non-profit medical systems or via public-private partnerships.
