Health officials say there are plans to send 10 patients to Australia initially, but that may increase to 50, the New Zealand Press Association reported.
"While we are capable of meeting current demand, there is a backlog of high priority patients," said Barry Mahon, clinical leader of cardiothoracic surgery in Wellington.
"In that context the decision to outsource to an Australian hospital with the capacity to perform that surgery within the next three months makes sense."
Patients had been sent hospitals around the country for surgery over the past year but private and public hospital beds were limited because it was cold and
flu season, health officials said.
http://www.news.com.au/st...99,24256129-38196,00.html


