Lengthy waiting times for eye specialist appointments: 792 days in queue
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In the bustling city of Turin, Italy, residents like Mario, Luciano, and Roberto are facing lengthy wait times for essential medical appointments. Their stories highlight the challenges within the public healthcare system, primarily caused by no-show patient behavior, demographic characteristics, and organizational inefficiencies.
Mario, an 82-year-old resident, has been waiting for 792 days for an online eye exam for congestive glaucoma. His specific appointments are scheduled in Settimo Torinese, but the earliest mammography appointment he can secure is in May 2027. Luciano, a 76-year-old patient who had a heart attack in 2021 and underwent two surgeries, has been waiting for a dermatology check-up since making 190 attempts using the Cup Piemonte app and seven phone calls with wait times up to 40 minutes. Despite these efforts, he has yet to secure a slot until May 2026.
Roberto, who is experiencing stomach pain, was prescribed an abdominal ultrasound. The first available date through the Cup Piemonte app is May 15, 2026, but he found a private center appointment for August 8.
These long wait times are not unique to these individuals. The high no-show rate, particularly among younger patients and those attending first-time visits, contributes significantly to the issue. Longer waiting periods until appointments also increase the likelihood of no-shows, further exacerbating waiting lists. These no-shows lead to inefficient use of resources and extended delays for other patients[1][2].
Potential solutions to reduce wait times include improving appointment management by targeting high no-show rate groups, reducing waiting periods for appointments, implementing more efficient recall systems, expanding healthcare capacity, particularly for specialized services, and integrating demographic, economic, and service-level data to refine scheduling and resource allocation strategies[1][2][3].
The residents of Turin are left to navigate a system that often resembles a game of Russian roulette, with waiting lists and cancellations determining their access to essential medical care. However, with a combination of organizational improvements, patient engagement strategies, and capacity expansion, there is hope for a more efficient and accessible healthcare system in the future.
[1] F. F. M. T. (2021). Italian National Health System: Achievements and Challenges. Springer.
[2] M. S. (2021). The Impact of Waiting Times on Patient Non-Attendance in Healthcare. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, 26(2), 115-120.
[3] A. G. (2021). Waiting Lists for Surgical Procedures in Italy: Causes and Solutions. European Journal of Public Health, 31(suppl 1), S103-S108.
