Government to launch November program aimed at cutting hip and knee implant waiting lists

The Hungarian health ministry announced that a government-backed scheme to shorten hip and knee prosthesis waiting times is slated for launch in November. Hospitals that take on additional cases will obtain extra funding and may expand daily surgery capacity, using evenings or weekends if needed. Patients currently on the waiting lists will not have to submit new requests; instead, hospitals will reach out to confirm the necessity of surgery and schedule appointments.

The program also includes a review of the lists, after checks revealed that 20-30 % of listed patients no longer require the procedure. Officials aim to bring down waiting periods, which have risen to about 295 days for knee and 145 days for hip implants, significantly by the end of 2027.