The report cited deficiencies in a number of areas, from illegible writing in medical records to the failure of physicians to regularly retest their competence after receiving their license to practice.  The report claims that the health care industry is far behind other high-risk industries, such as the airline industry, in its attention to ensuring basic safety.  To address these alarming rates of medical mistakes, the report recommends dramatic changes to the health care system to achieve a minimum goal of a fifty (50%) percent reduction in medical mistakes within five (5) years.  
     
     On December 1, 1999, President Clinton called for the health care community to work to eliminate these mistakes.  "We've got to work through how we can use technology, and how we can maybe even slow some of the actions, to make sure that mistakes like this aren't made," said Clinton.  "Any error that causes harm to a patient is one error to many," said Dr. Nancy Dickey, past President of the American Medical Association.