Italy records 8.0 million hospital discharges in 2024, regional waiting times improve

The Italian Ministry of Health's Sdo 2024 report shows 8,045,050 hospital discharges in 2024, a 1.1% increase over 2023 but still 5.6% below pre‑pandemic levels in 2019. Acute admissions account for about 95% of stays, with an average length of stay of 7.03 days, down from 7.1 days in 2023. Hospital deaths fell to 3.5%, returning to pre‑COVID levels, and 83.9% of patients were discharged home. Regional differences persist in waiting times, with the longest average wait for hip replacement at 113 days in Friuli‑Venezia Giulia and as short as 13 days in Calabria.

A separate performance report for Friuli‑Venezia Giulia notes continued improvements in waiting times for surgeries and outpatient services. The regional health assessor Riccardo Riccardi said, “For the third consecutive year Friuli‑Venezia Giulia improves its health performance, confirming that our long‑term reorganisation is yielding results.” Overall, 63.5% of monitored indicators improved, vaccination coverage remained above 95% for measles, mumps, rubella and the hexavalent vaccine.