Italy implements new national plan to manage healthcare waiting lists

Italy has implemented a new National Plan for the Management of Waiting Lists for the 2026-2028 period. Signed by Health Minister Orazio Schillaci, the decree introduces “prelists” (or protection lists) to manage patients when the Single Booking Center (CUP) cannot provide an appointment within established priority timelines.

Under this new system, a patient's request must be officially registered at the first point of contact. Instead of patients repeatedly calling for availability, the system must take charge of the request and provide a solution within specific timeframes. These deadlines vary by priority class, ranging from five days for Class B to thirty days for Class P.

Regions have 120 days from the publication of the decree to adopt their respective regional plans. The measure aims to eliminate “phantom appointments” and ensure that healthcare requests are systematically tracked and fulfilled.