Waiting lists, access to health care major Italian concerns

(ANSA) - Rome, September 30 - Waiting lists as long as two years for a hernia operation, 14 months for a mammogram, and 20 months for a psychiatric visit, are the number one reason for complaints by Italians about their health system, according to a new report Tuesday.
    The findings, in a report by the investigative branch of a tribunal of patients' rights, were drawn from more than 24,000 cases referred last year to the tribunal.
    It found that 58% of complaints related to waiting lists, while almost 25% of complaints involved access to health services.
    The remainder dealt with costs of some health services, with some people complaining that health care was becoming too expensive.
    The report found a rise in complaints about long waits in emergency rooms.
    It urged government to update health services and find more effective delivery methods.