Italy’s National Agency for Regional Health Services (Agenas) has released its periodic report on waiting lists for the first nine months of 2026, revealing encouraging signs of recovery despite a surge in public demand. Total bookings nationwide climbed from 19.7 million to 21.8 million, a jump of over 10% compared to the same period in 2025.
Crucially, this increase in volume was matched by better compliance with statutory maximum waiting times. Performance metrics improved for both specialist consultations and diagnostic tests, resulting in over two million more medical services delivered within mandated deadlines. Cancer screenings and specialized oncology visits topped the charts with a 95.3% compliance rate, whereas dermatological visits and colonoscopies continued to lag behind as the most difficult procedures to secure promptly.
Despite the national average improvement, deep territorial divides persist. While southern regions like Basilicata and northern powerhouses like Veneto recorded stellar compliance rates exceeding 90%, several regions - notably Puglia, Umbria, Sardinia, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia - struggled with long delays, showing that structural disparities across Italy's regional healthcare systems still need urgent attention.