2021 key figures

Coronavirus

664,000

COVID-19 tests

The department for laboratory medicine performed no less than 664,000 PCR tests, 442,000 of which for the federal testing platform (samples from various testing locations). The remaining 222,000 tests were performed on internal UZ Leuven samples, primarily from patients and employees.

18 million

gloves

In 2021 we used 18,151,200 gloves, an increase of 22.7% in comparison with 2020.

3 million

face masks

In 2021, we used almost 3 million face masks. That's 2.5 times as much as before the coronavirus (2019). It consisted of 2,810,620 surgical face masks and 166,663 FFP2 face masks.

Average number of corona patients admitted per month in 2021

Admissions, surgical procedures and consultations

53,518

admissions

123,215

day admissions

2,445

deliveries

55,881

surgical procedures

In 2021, UZ Leuven performed 55,881 surgical procedures. That is 7,688 more than in 2020, an increase of 16%. Per operational working day in 2021, there were on average 222 surgical procedures, 138 of which in the surgical outpatient clinic.

366 organ transplants

In 2021 UZ Leuven performed 366 organ transplants or 39.3% of all organ transplants in Belgium. Last year UZ Leuven also performed 2 trachea transplants, making UZ Leuven the largest of all 8 transplant centres in Belgium.

Out of 143 kidney transplants there are 20 with living donation, the highest number ever for our hospital. A total of 119 lungs were transplanted over 58 double lung transplants and 3 single lung transplants. There were also 78 liver transplants, 20 heart transplants, 4 pancreas transplants and 2 small intestine transplants.

Most transplants were 1 organ transplants. For 13 patients it was a combined transplant of 2 organs and for one patient even 3 organs. With a total of 14 combined organ transplants UZ Leuven performed 63,6% of the 22 combined transplants in Belgium.

750,504

consultations

In 2021, 750,504 consultations took place, approximately 13.5% more than in 2020. Every operational weekday, there were on average 2,978 consultations, spread over the various UZ Leuven campuses.

62,836

emergencies

In 2021, there was a total number of 62,836 entries to the emergency room, an increase of 12.7% in comparison to 2020. 35% of all hospital admissions come in through the emergency room.

256,294

patient transfers

In 2021 there were 256,294 internal patient transfers, e.g. transporting admitted patients to and from their function tests. 96.4% of the patients were collected within 10 minutes.

Oncology – Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI)

36,015

patients

57,491

consultations

53,802

day admissions

Medical-technical interventions and examinations

36,772

radiotherapy

In 2020, 2,920 patients were treated with one or other form of radiotherapy, most of them with external radiotherapy. In total there were 36,227 treatment sessions.

18,106

nucleare medicine

The total number of nuclear tests (excluding tracers and therapies) amounted to 18,106. In 44% of the cases it involved a PET scan.

33,090

dialysis

The number of kidney dialyses increased from 31,870 in 2020 to 33,090 in 2021.

398,605

radiology

The total number of radiology examinations in 2020 was 398,605, an increase of about 8.8% in comparison to 2020. On average, UZ Leuven performed 1,092 radiology examinations a day.

124,888

function tests

In 2021, there were 124,888 visits to function tests for cardiology, respiratory diseases, endoscopy and neurophysiology. That's an increase of 9.6% in comparison to 2020.

17 million

lab tests

In 2020, UZ Leuven performed 17,076,412 lab tests. This means on average 1,949 tests an hour and 46,785 tests a day.

1,014 clinical trials*

In clinical trials – scientific research in humans – both researchers and patients look for improved diagnostic aids, new insights and innovative treatments.

In 2021 UZ Leuven/KU Leuven initiated 1,014 clinical trials, 43.5% international trials. 392 trials are UZ Leuven only trials, while 504 trials also involve other participating centres.

Half the trials are initiated and supervised by UZ Leuven-/KU Leuven researchers. 28.6% was headed by a commercial firm.

In 673 trials it concerned research without medication or medical aids. In addition, there were 269 trials that involved medication, 68 involved a medical aid, and 4 trials involved a combination of medication and a medical aid.

(* preliminary figures)

Employees

10,011

employees

By the end of 2021 there were 10,011 UZ Leuven employees or 8,530 full-time equivalents.

Age distribution

women

Men and women

The percentages of female and male employees remained the same as in 2020, with 74% women and 26% men.

men

Residence

80%

Flemish-Brabant

8%

Antwerp

7%

Limburg

5%

Other provinces

Commuter traffic

In 2021, 66% of the UZ Leuven employees came to work by car. The percentage of employees that come to work on their bike increased from 21.5% in 2020 to 22.7% in 2021.

In 2021, 8.8% of the employees came to work by public transport, compared to 9.4% in 2020. In total 34% of our employees regularly used either the bike or public transport.

UZ Leuven promotes sustainable means of transport by offering its employees a bicycle allowance and free public transport.

Functions

1,874

doctors

3,071

nurses and midwives

2,159

paramedics and supporting care staff

2,907

supporting staff

Z.org KU Leuven

All the above figures did not include the annual figures of Z.org KU Leuven. We will give you a short overview of the key figures of Z.org KU Leuven in order to stress the strong relationship between UZ Leuven and Z.org KU Leuven.

1,153

Z.org KU Leuven employees

66