A shortage of cardiologists means that half of all New Zealand heart attack patients aren’t being treated within internationally accepted timeframes, a new study by Otago University has found.
The country has just a third of the number of cardiologists it needs, leading to significant backlogs in patient waiting lists.
Of the eight largest types of heart disease categories reported in the study, heart attacks caused the most years of life lost and deaths, regardless of whether it was someone’s first or subsequent attack.
The study was commissioned by cardiac advocacy charity Kia Manawanui Trust, whose chief executive, Letitia Harding, said exposed a system that was failing at every level….
Half of NZ Heart Attack Victims Not Treated Within Accepted Timeframes: Study
