Waiting lists, difficult treatment for one in three patients: record 526 days for an echocolordoppler

Waiting lists remain the number one health emergency, the thermometer of a health service disease that seems increasingly incurable. According to the annual Civic Health Report, just presented in Rome by Cittadinanzattiva at the Ministry of Health, waiting lists make it complicated if not impossible for almost one in three Italians to access treatment. Out of 24,043 reports from citizens in 2023 (up by 9971 compared to the previous year), almost one out of three - 32.4%, +2.8% compared to 2022 and +8.6 compared to 2021 - refers precisely to the lack of access to services. The other emergency is the difficulty of the relationship between citizens, family doctors and paediatricians.

As far as waiting lists are concerned, the main difficulties in accessing services (32.4% of the 24,043 reports) are mainly determined by blocked waiting lists (31.1%), long waits or difficulties in contacting the Cup or scheduling visits (a total of 20%). Here are some of the maximum times reported by citizens 468 days for a first eye examination in class P (programmable, to be carried out within 120 days); 480 for an oncology check-up in class undetermined; 300 days for an eye examination in class B (short to be carried out within 10 days); 526 days for a class P supra-aortic trunk ultrasound (programmable, to be performed within 120 days); 437 days for a class D hip replacement surgery (within 12 months), 159 days for a class B prostate cancer surgery (within 30 days).

According to the report, in 2023 7.6% of citizens gave up treatment (+0.6% compared to 2022) and 4.5% did so because of long waiting lists (it was 2.8% in 2022). The renunciation rate is 9.0% among women and 6.2% among men, On the territory, "the increase in renunciation" compared to the previous year is mainly concentrated in the Centre (from 7.0% to 8.8%) and in the South (from 6.2% to 7.3%), while the North with 7.1% maintains the same level as in 2022. Also confirming the phenomenon of treatment renunciation is the decrease in the total number of services provided in 2023: the average decrease is 8% compared to the previous year. The difference is minimal in Lombardy and Tuscany (-2%), followed by Emilia Romagna (-3%), but in as many as 14 regions the percentages exceed the national average, with peaks of -25% in Sardinia, -27% and -28% in Valle d'Aosta and in the province of Bolzano. It is above all on the front of first visits that the regional systems are struggling: these have decreased by an average of 10%.

If waiting lists are the first emergency to follow, with 14.2%, there is the issue of primary care (also growing, +5.1% compared to 2022), i.e. the difficulties in the relationship between citizens and family doctors and paediatricians, in the continuity of care and in the hospital-territory connection. Slightly below the sphere of hospital care (13.3% in 2023, -2.5% compared to the previous year), i.e. the difficulties relating to emergency rooms, admissions and discharges; with 11.1% comes the sphere of territorial care (+5.4% compared to 2022), i.e. the criticalities relating to the poor coordination of structures in the territory, staff shortages, and poor patient care. Below 10%, but still relevant, is the area of prevention, which in 2023 will collect 8.6% of the reports (it was 15.2% in the previous year).