Waiting months, if not years, for a non-urgent medical exam is becoming a common occurrence across Italy. Waiting periods for electrocardiograms and mammograms are increasing, causing growing inconvenience for citizens. The most recent data, which was published on the Ministry of Health's new national platform, presents a concerning picture.

Between January and May 2025, almost 20 million appointments and testing were scheduled. However, less than half of the appointments were scheduled at times that were convenient for the patients' clinical priorities. The result? An increase in cancellations. According to Istat, almost six million people cancelled a health service in 2024, up from 4.5 million the previous year. One of the most critical situations is in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, where the waiting period for a gynecological visit or a mammogram surpassed 700 days. In Sardinia, the average waiting time for a colonoscopy was nearly 900 days, while in Puglia, the threshold of 600 days was surpassed for a routine electrocardiogram. The Agenas platform, finally online after more than a year of delay following its approval, now allows real-time monitoring of waiting times by region. And the figures speak for themselves: waiting times for a dermatological examination range from just over a month to over eight months; for a urological check-up, from three weeks to nearly six months; and for an eye exam, from 20 to 239 days. Screening pathways are also subject to significant delays: mammography, which is required to be completed within 120 days, can take as long as 320 days in certain regions. Urgent exams also present significant challenges. In the first months of 2025, a colonoscopy with short priority took up to 190 days, jeopardizing the effectiveness of preventive and early detection. The platform is a crucial step toward increasing transparency and allowing citizens and institutions to compare regional performance. However, the figures suggest that openness alone is insufficient: structural investments and a serious plan are required to address delays and ensure fair and timely access to care.