# Primary care physician shortages in Northern Italy

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/primary-care-physician-shortages-in-northern-italy
> Updated: 2026-09-03T11:26:32.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2.

The Piedmont and Varese regions in Italy are experiencing a significant shortage of primary care physicians. In Galliate, approximately 1,700 residents face losing their family doctor following a retirement due to a lack of available replacements. This local issue reflects a broader deficit in the Piedmont region, which faces an estimated shortage of 685 general practitioners and has struggled with recruitment efforts.

In the Varese province, the crisis appears more widespread, with over 20,000 citizens lacking a stable medical reference across the Sette Laghi and Valle Olona areas. In some districts, the shortage has persisted for over two years, necessitating reliance on temporary medical clinics that cannot fully replace continuous care for elderly or chronic patients. The situation is projected to intensify as more doctors reach retirement age through 2026 and 2027.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-03: Varese province faces shortage of 20,000 primary care physicians

Over 20,000 residents in the Varese province lack a primary care physician, a crisis exacerbated by upcoming medical retirements and reliance on temporary clinics.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/varese-province-faces-shortage-of-20000-primary-care-physicians

### 2026-08-25: Galliate faces medical crisis as 1,700 patients lose family doctor

The retirement of a family doctor in Galliate leaves 1,700 patients without local care, highlighting a critical shortage of general practitioners across the Piedmont region.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/galliate-faces-medical-crisis-as-1700-patients-lose-family-doctor

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Cite as: Primary care physician shortages in Northern Italy. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/primary-care-physician-shortages-in-northern-italy