Italy healthcare waiting lists: Oncology patient offered 2028 appointment

Elisabetta Garattoni, a 57-year-old oncology patient from Cesena, Italy, has raised alarms regarding extreme waiting lists within the public healthcare system. After attempting to schedule a colonoscopy, she was reportedly offered the first available date in January 2028.

Garattoni has been battling cancer for six years, having faced diagnoses involving both breast and lung cancer, as well as recent surgeries on her intestine and a vertebra. While she noted that her medical care at Irst has been high quality, she highlighted the systemic failure to provide timely diagnostic follow-ups.

The situation underscores growing concerns regarding chronic resource shortages and staffing cuts in the healthcare sector, which leave vulnerable patients unable to access necessary monitoring without resorting to expensive private care.