病院・クリニックの倒産、過去20年間で2番目の高水準に　中堅病院の倒産が増加

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　東京商工リサーチがまとめた2025年1～9月の「病院・クリニック」の倒産状況によると、倒産件数は27件に達し、過去20年間で2番目に多い水準となった。このペースで推移すれば、2009年の42件以来、16年ぶりに年間40件を超える可能性があるという。

東京商工リサーチは、2025年1～9月の「病院・クリニック」の倒産状況を調査した（出所：photoAC）

リーマン・ショック後以来の高水準に

　過去20年間で最多の倒産件数だったのは、リーマン・ショック後の2009年で36件（前年同期比100.0％増）だった。コロナ禍の2020年は資金繰り支援策により11件（同56.0％減）と大幅に減少。その後も10件台で推移していたが、2024年は27件（同68.7％増）と前年同期の約1.7倍に急増した。2025年も同様に27件と高水準で推移している。

病院・クリニックの倒産　年次推移（出所：プレスリリース）

中堅病院の苦境が顕著に

　原因別では、「販売不振」が16件（前年同期比23.0％増）で最多。「既往のシワ寄せ」が5件（同37.5％減）、「他社倒産の余波」が3件（同25.0％減）と続いた。

　地域医療を担う中堅規模の倒産が目立ち、「クリニック」は18件（同14.2％減）と前年同期を下回ったものの、ベッド数20床以上の「病院」は9件（同50.0％増）と前年同期の1.5倍に増加。過去20年間では2010年（11件）に次ぐ4番目の多さとなった。

大型倒産や雇用への影響も

　負債額別では、医療法人福慈会（三重県名張市）の負債66億円を含む「10億円以上」が5件（前年同期2件）、「5億円以上10億円未満」が3件（同2件）と、大型倒産が増加。従業員数別では、前年同期にはなかった「従業員300人以上」が2件、「50人以上300人未満」が8件（同4件）と中堅規模の医療機関での倒産が増え、地域の中核となる病院が相次いで苦境に陥っている。

（出所：photoAC）

　東京商工リサーチは、「総務省が9月30日に発表した令和6年度地方公営企業等決算によると、自治体が運営する公立病院の約8割が赤字だった」と指摘。

　そのうえで「医療機関は、理事長や院長の高齢化、医師や看護師の不足、医療設備の老朽化など課題が山積している。さらに人件費や電気代、備品・消耗品などの物価上昇が経営を圧迫している」と分析した。

　「医療業務のコストと診療報酬のバランスが崩れ、採算が悪化する医療機関は少なくない。医療の空白地帯が増えることも現実味を帯びており、診療報酬の見直しやM＆Aなど、医療機関の存続に向けた取り組みが急がれる」と警鐘を鳴らしている。

　本調査は、日本標準産業分類の「病院」「一般診療所」から、負債1000万円以上の倒産を集計・分析したもの（歯科医院を除く）。

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廃業・解散・休業は倒産の18.9倍
倒産だけでなく、廃業・解散・休業となる診療所も増えている。

ちなみに「倒産」とは、原則として金融機関からの借入金の返済や取引先に対する支払いができなくなり、裁判所に破産や民事再生法を申し立てて、債務カットなどをしてもらい事業停止する場合を指す（一部事業を継続する場合もある）。「廃業・解散・休業」は、原則として債務を完済したうえで事業を停止する場合を指す。

帝国データバンクが調査したところ、診療所の廃業・解散・休業件数（事業者数）は、00年には56件だったが、その後、10年（111件）、15年（288件）、20年（411件）と増え続け、24年は倒産件数（31件）の18.9倍となる過去最多の587件が確認された。

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Hospital and Clinic Bankruptcies Reach Second-Highest Level in the Past 20 Years; Mid-Sized Hospital Bankruptcies Increase

According to Tokyo Shoko Research's report on hospital and clinic bankruptcies from January to September 2025, the number reached 27, the second-highest level in the past 20 years. If this trend continues, the number could exceed 40 annually for the first time in 16 years, since 2009, when there were 42.

Tokyo Shoko Research conducted a survey on hospital and clinic bankruptcies from January to September 2025 (Source: photoAC)

Highest Level Since the Lehman Shock
The highest number of bankruptcies in the past 20 years was 36 in 2009, following the Lehman Shock (a 100.0% increase from the same period the previous year). In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the number dropped significantly to 11 (a 56.0% decrease from the same period the previous year) due to financial support measures. The number of bankruptcies remained in the 10s, but in 2024 it surged to 27 (a 68.7% increase from the same period last year), approximately 1.7 times the number from the same period last year. 2025 is also expected to remain at a high level of 27.

Hospital and Clinic Bankruptcies: Annual Trends (Source: Press Release)

Mid-Sized Hospitals Face Significant Difficulties
By cause, "poor sales" was the most common, with 16 cases (a 23.0% increase from the same period last year). This was followed by "past problems" with 5 cases (a 37.5% decrease from the same period last year) and "the aftermath of the bankruptcy of another company" with 3 cases (a 25.0% decrease from the same period last year).

Bankruptcies of mid-sized hospitals responsible for regional medical care were prominent. While the number of "clinics" fell to 18 (a 14.2% decrease from the same period last year), the number of "hospitals" with 20 or more beds increased to 9 (a 50.0% increase from the same period last year), 1.5 times the number from the same period last year. This marks the fourth-highest number in the past 20 years, following 2010 (11 cases).

Large-scale bankruptcies and the impact on employment:

By debt amount, there were five cases with debts of over 1 billion yen (compared to two cases in the same period last year), including the 6.6 billion yen debt of Fukujikai Medical Corporation (Nabari City, Mie Prefecture), and three cases with debts of between 500 million and 1 billion yen (compared to two cases in the same period last year). By employee count, there were two cases with over 300 employees, which was not present in the same period last year, and eight cases with debts of between 50 and 300 employees (compared to four cases in the same period last year). This indicates an increase in bankruptcies among mid-sized medical institutions, with core hospitals in local communities falling into distress one after another.

(Source: photoAC)

Tokyo Shoko Research points out that "According to the fiscal year 2024 financial statements of local public enterprises and other entities announced by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on September 30, approximately 80% of public hospitals operated by local governments were in the red."

The report went on to analyze, "Medical institutions are facing a mountain of challenges, including aging chairpersons and directors, a shortage of doctors and nurses, and aging medical equipment. Furthermore, rising prices for labor costs, electricity, supplies, and consumables are putting pressure on management."

The report also warns, "The balance between medical service costs and medical fees is out of whack, and profitability is declining for many medical institutions. The possibility of an increase in medical gaps is becoming a reality, and efforts to ensure the survival of medical institutions, such as reviewing medical fees and M&A, are urgently needed."

This survey compiled and analyzed bankruptcies with debts of 10 million yen or more from "hospitals" and "general clinics" under the Japan Standard Industrial Classification (excluding dental clinics).

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Business Closures, Dissolutions, and Suspensions are 18.9 Times More Frequent Than Bankruptcies
The number of clinics experiencing business closures, dissolutions, and suspensions is increasing, in addition to bankruptcies.

Incidentally, "bankruptcy" generally refers to cases where a business becomes unable to repay loans from financial institutions or make payments to suppliers, and files for bankruptcy or civil rehabilitation with the court to have debts reduced and cease operations (although some businesses may continue some operations). "Business closure, dissolution, and suspension" generally refers to cases where a business ceases operations after fully repaying its debts.

According to a survey by Teikoku Databank, the number of business closures, dissolutions, and suspensions of clinics (number of businesses) was 56 in 2000, but it continued to increase thereafter, reaching 111 in 2010, 288 in 2015, and 411 in 2020. In 2024, a record high of 587 cases were confirmed, which is 18.9 times the number of bankruptcies (31 cases).

 

 

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