[ANMCO Position paper: ANMCO States General 2024 - Waiting lists in cardiology: state of the art on decision-makers' indications, appropriateness and quality of care].

Abstract

Waiting lists in cardiology are one of the most significant problems of the Italian Health Service (SSN). This phenomenon is perceived with significant delays in accessing specialist visits, diagnostic tests and surgical interventions, negatively affecting the health of patients and the overall quality of the SSN. Structural, organizational and demographic factors can be identified among the main causes of waiting lists in cardiology. On the one hand, the number of cardiologists and specialized healthcare workers is often insufficient compared to the growing demand for care. In fact, the distribution of medical personnel is uneven across the country and there are also real problems regarding the number of doctors and nurses within the SSN, workloads and salary aspects. Furthermore, the Italian population is rapidly aging, with a significant increase in age-related cardiovascular diseases, such as heart failure, arrhythmias and coronary heart disease. These factors lead to an ever-increasing demand for cardiology services, putting pressure on the SSN. The aim of this document is to provide an updated overview of the problem of waiting lists in cardiology, to analyze the causes and to provide possible solutions.