Waiting 2 years for a medical visit: the case of Immacolata and the problems of Italian healthcare

In Italy, booking a specialist medical visit through the National Health System (SSN) can be an odyssey.

The lady, needing an endocrinological visit, called the CUP (Single Booking Centre) and, to his great surprise, discovered that the first available date was in February 2026. Two years of waiting for a specialist check-up, despite paying the ticket, are unacceptable and raise serious questions about the management of Health public.

It is not difficult to imagine the dismay of Mrs. Immacolata who, with irony, told the operator that by that date she might not even be there anymore. A bitter joke that did not lead to any solution: the date remained the same, confirming a system that is increasingly struggling.

A Widespread and Systemic Problem

Immacolata's case is not an isolated one. Many Italian citizens report interminable waits to access visits, diagnostic tests and therapies, making the right to health enshrined in the Constitution inaccessible. The situation is paradoxical: Italy has modern medical facilities and highly qualified health personnel, but resources are not distributed or used effectively.

The Causes of the Disaster

Among the main causes of this situation are:

1. Downsizing of Medical Guards
   Once an essential presence on the territory, today's medical guards are often perceived as useless. In the past, they performed first aid tasks such as suturing wounds, performing electrocardiograms, administering medications and managing small interventions that today overload emergency rooms. Retraining them and giving them back a central role could reduce the pressure on hospitals.
2. Underutilized GPs
   Even family doctors, while being a point of reference, could be better organized and equipped with resources to carry out tasks that today require access to specialist facilities. Empowering them with diagnostic tools and greater administrative support could make the difference.
3. ASL in Trouble
   Local Health Authorities, which should be the hub of assistance in the territory, often fail to meet the needs of citizens. The reorganization of many ASL, such as that of Nocera Inferiore, seems to have reduced services instead of strengthening them, worsening the situation.

The Necessary Solutions

To address this problem, it is essential to:

• Increase investment in public health, allocating adequate resources to reduce waiting times and increase the availability of specialists.
• Requalify and enhance territorial structures, such as medical guards and general practitioners, to manage less serious cases effectively.
• Digitize and simplify administrative processes, improving the management of reservations and optimizing the work of healthcare personnel.
• Allocate specific funds to the ASL, so that they can improve services and respond adequately to the needs of the territory.

An Appeal to the Institutions

Immacolata's case is an alarm bell that cannot be ignored. Behind every number and every statistic there is a person who is suffering, who is waiting, who risks seeing his or her health worsen. Urgent and decisive intervention by the institutions is needed, so that the right to health becomes a concrete and accessible reality for all again.

We cannot allow situations like this to become the norm. The health of Italian citizens deserves respect, attention and concrete actions.