Medical mistakes are more common than once thought, according to a report.
Envision car companies that didn't install safety features, such as seat belts or air bags, because they might be expensive and establish a paper trail that would encourage lawsuits. As many as 3,534 state residents died last year in Michigan hospitals, based on one estimate, because of errors, without any requirement that state officials be notified. Nationwide, the estimated death toll is as high as 98,000. The scathing, but forward-looking report has shaken the medical establishment, causing everyone from nurses to President Clinton to take a new look at patient safety, which may fare even worse in nursing homes and clinics. Joan Belknap of Taylor is among the Michiganians who know firsthand about hospital errors.