Even in death, Mary McClinton, a tireless advocate for the disabled, poor and Native Alaskans, will continue her legacy as a teacher.

McClinton, 69, died last year at Virginia Mason Medical Center after being injected with an unlabeled — and deadly — fluid during a procedure to fix a damaged blood vessel.

As part of a legal settlement with McClinton's family, Virginia Mason will use her case to help teach medical staffers the importance of proper labeling of medications.

"One of our major issues, our concern throughout the whole thing, is that it doesn't happen to anybody else," said William McClinton, one of her four sons.

It's some comfort to him, he said, that his mother's death will be a learning experience for others. "Helping others — that's synonymous with my mother. Even in her death, she's able to do that."

The settlement includes money from Virginia Mason, the amount of which is confidential, said Lawrence Kahn, the family's lawyer. Virginia Mason has apologized publicly and admitted liability for McClinton's death Nov. 23.

The medical center also has agreed to make contributions to charities, including the Mary McClinton Foundation established by her family, to advance medical safety "and to honor her memory," said Dr. Robert Caplan, Virginia Mason's medical director of quality.

"Our organization has been forever changed by this preventable medical error," Caplan said. "It has increased our commitment to improving patient safety by open and honest communication about mistakes in medicine, and to the important work we have before us in making sure medical labeling is perfect."

Kahn said McClinton's family believes Virginia Mason was truly sorry for the error and is sincere in its vow to improve patient safety.

Since McClinton's death and several other high-profile cases, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, as part of its 2006 National Patient Safety Goals, is asking hospitals to label all medication containers and solutions in procedure areas.

McClinton's family, Kahn said, has "found great purpose in spreading the word nationwide that labeling is a must in hospitals, and failure to do so is just unforgivable."

Carol M. Ostrom: 206-464-2249 or costrom@seattletimes.com