To the Editor: The article by Segard and Macdonald is interesting but has significant methodological weaknesses and reports data that do not support all of their conclusions.1
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- 1. Segard T, Macdonald WBG. Changing trends in venous thromboembolism-related imaging in Western Australian teaching hospitals, 2002–2010. Med J Aust 2013; 198: 100-103. <MJA full text>
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- 3. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Australian hospital statistics 2007–08. Canberra: AIHW, 2009. (AIHW Cat. No. HSE 71.) http://www. aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=6442468249 (accessed Feb 2013).
- 4. Lowthian J, Curtis A, Stoelwinder J, et al. Emergency demand and repeat attendances by older patients. Intern Med J 2013; 43: 554-560. doi: 10.1111/imj.12061.
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- 6. Attems J, Arbes S, Böhm G, et al. The clinical diagnostic accuracy rate regarding the immediate cause of death in a hospitalized geriatric population; an autopsy study of 1594 patients. Wien Med Wochenschr 2004; 154: 159-162.
- 7. Calder KK, Herbert M, Henderson SO. The mortality of untreated pulmonary embolism in emergency department patients. Ann Emerg Med 2005; 45: 302–310.
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