Emergency department overcrowding and mortality after the introduction of the 4-hour rule in Western Australia

Incorrect reference: In “Emergency department overcrowding and mortality after the introduction of the 4-hour rule in Western Australia” in the 6 August 2012 issue of the Journal (Med J Aust 2012; 197: 148), the following statement was incorrectly attributed: “The authors stated that there were an estimated ‘120 deaths per annum associated with overcrowding in metropolitan Perth hospitals’, but that ‘[their] study did not examine the mechanisms by which overcrowding is associated with increased mortality’ ”. The correct reference for this is: 4. Sprivulis PC, Da Silva J-A, Jacobs IG, et al. The association between hospital overcrowding and mortality among patients admitted via Western Australian emergency departments. Med J Aust 2006; 184: 208-212.