Hospital 'sorry' 81 women may have been secretly filmed during gynecological surgeries

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A Southern California hospital has apologized to the women who claimed they were secretly filmed during gynecological surgeries.

KNSD-TV reports 81 women sued Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa last week, alleging they were recorded by motion-activated cameras set up in three operating rooms as part of an effort to catch a possible drug thief.

The hospital near San Diego said in a letter Thursday that the cameras set up in 2012 and 2013 were intended to record only individuals in front of the anesthesia carts. Through the investigation, hospital officials identified the drug thief and that person no longer works there. 

The hospital said it's sorry its efforts "may have caused distress" to the women who were recorded and promised it has stopped using this surveillance method.