Hospital fined $150,000 in wrong-site surgery

Rhode Island health officials have fined a hospital $150,000 and ordered it to install video cameras in its operating rooms after it had its fifth wrong-site surgery since 2007.

In a letter sent last week to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, State Health Director David Gifford says he's also ordering the hospital to hire an independent consultant to observe all surgeries at the hospital for at least one year. The consultant will monitor whether doctors are marking the site to be operated on and taking a time out before operating to ensure they're operating on the proper body part.

A spokeswoman for Rhode Island Hospital did not immediately comment.

The most recent incident involved a surgeon who operated on the wrong finger. Three other cases involved brain surgeons.