20 Jul 2006

American Samoa to send patients to NZ

6:27 pm on 20 July 2006

American Samoa's LBJ Medical Center has signed an agreement to send patients to New Zealand and is close to completing negotiations with another service provider in Hawai'i.

The off-island referral program, closed since last year because of outstanding debts, was due to restart on May the 1st but was delayed while negotiations were completed.

LBJ's chief financial officer, David Deprin, says the New Zealand provider is NUAZ Limited.

He says New Zealand will be the first preference for LBJ to send patients.

He adds that LBJ will pay up front before NUAZ accepts the patients.

Negotiations with the Hawai'i provider are also close to completion.

In the meantime, critical cases for Hawai'i are being reviewed on a case by case basis.