Costs and then waiting times: that’s what worries Italians when they seek medical treatment

When we add up those who complain about at least one of the three main problems (waiting lists, costs, distance), Italia has a 3.3 per cent dissatisfaction rate – a figure below the European average (6.5 per cent) but still significant. By comparison, countries such as Malta, Romania and Cyprus are below 1 per cent. Although the Italia figure is better than the EU average, it highlights the need for action, particularly with regard to costs.

Despite the objective data, there remains a strongly negative perception of waiting lists in Italia, which are often at the centre of public and media debate. This discrepancy between data and perception can affect citizens’ trust in the healthcare system and the pressure on institutions to make further improvements.

Contrary to perceptions regarding the severity of the problem, Italia stands out positively for its low percentage of citizens dissatisfied with waiting lists: just 0.9 per cent, compared with a European average of 1.8 per cent. The country ranks 18th out of 28, well below Finland (7.3 per cent), Estonia (6.7 per cent), Latvia (4.6 per cent) and the United Kingdom (4 per cent).

In Belgium and Malta, however, according to Eurostat data, the proportion is almost negligible (0.1 per cent), whilst Bulgaria and Cyprus stand at 0 per cent. This figure for Italia is particularly significant when compared with public perception, which is often more negative.

The distance to healthcare facilities is a minor issue in Italia: 0% of respondents reported difficulties in physically accessing healthcare services, a figure shared with 14 other European countries. In Latvia, the figure rises to 1.3 per cent, and in Croatia to 0.8 per cent. This positive result reflects the effectiveness of policies governing the geographical distribution of healthcare facilities, which ensure widespread access even in less central areas, although the risk of healthcare desertification in some rural areas remains to be monitored.

By contrast, 97.4 per cent of Italians report no cause for dissatisfaction with access to medical examinations, a figure in line with the EU average (97.7 per cent) and higher than that of France (94 per cent) and the United Kingdom (92 per cent). Only Greece (87.7 per cent) and Denmark (88.7 per cent) have lower figures.

There are also other reasons for dissatisfaction highlighted in the survey; however, with figures that do not reach 0.5 per cent on average – such as lack of time, fear of the doctor, lack of knowledge about specialists or hope for improvement – these account for residual percentages (never exceeding 0.5 per cent, in fact).

Eurostat’s analysis confirms a generally positive picture for Italia, with the main concerns centring on the cost of healthcare services. Future challenges include reducing private expenditure, strengthening social protection and maintaining comprehensive territorial coverage, particularly in outlying areas.

At European level, the priorities are to reduce waiting lists in the Nordic countries, to contain costs in Italia and France, and to strengthen the regional healthcare network in Eastern European countries.

According to Eurostat, future challenges will centre on the ability of healthcare systems to adapt to demographic, technological and economic changes, whilst ensuring that all citizens have fair and sustainable access to care.