Insider view of rationing down under

EDITOR —Bridgewater gave an outsider's view of the assessment and treatment of patients requiring coronary artery bypass grafting in New Zealand,1 particularly since the introduction of a priority scoring system.2 Several points need clarification.

Firstly, his example of a 50 year old man with class II angina and triple vessel disease who scores 34 points is typical of many who would receive bypass surgery in other developed countries.3 Bridgewater commented that acceptance for surgery at our hospital in these circumstances …