Johns Hopkins Hospital recently agreed to pay $190 million to 7,000 women whose privacy was invaded when they were secretly recorded during pelvic exams. The incidents occurred at an East Baltimore community clinic run by the hospital network.
According to news reports, Dr. Nikita A. Levy, a practicing OB/GYN at the clinic was fired after one of his colleagues reported her suspicions of an odd pen-like device that the doctor wore around his neck. When hospital security officers confronted Dr. Levy, he turned over several cameras and other recording devices. Levy took his own life just several days after being fired from the hospital in February 2013. A subsequent investigation by local police and the FBI uncovered thousands of videos and images of Levy’s patients on his home computer.
If the settlement receives final approval from Baltimore City Circuit Court the process of interviewing individual plaintiffs will begin to determine what share of the damages they will receive.