@gwhap you are making the assumption that the recording is being made for sexual or fetish reasons. That may not be the case. Consider a rape survivor or someone with a history of being abused. They may not really want the recording unless something "funny" happens. With one person recording another persons exam, that does seem to cross over into fetish, but for a person to record their own, I can chock that up to personal security.
As far as the doctors go, I can sort of understand their perspective, though if they are not doing anything wrong and the recording is not obtrusive I am not completely sure what the issue is. As has been stated, in at least some states the only consent needed is one party. Again things get a bit blurred if someone else is doing the recording.
As far as the practice having cameras in the exam rooms themselves, this seems crazy risky to me, unless as I have suggested before the cameras are encrypted in real time and with two keys, the practice gets one and the patient gets the other. There is no getting to the video without both.
This seems like it would do a lot of good things. In the case of a complaint against the doctor, their ass is covered, if the patient claims they can not remember their key, they have no evidence and no one to blame but themselves. This also gives the patient confidence that no one who has access to the practice will be able to view the videos without both keys, and it gives the practice security that they have the video but no one can abscond it. Also, if the patient or their attorney wants a copy, they can sign off on all liability should that copy become public as they will have the only unencrypted copy.
It is a complicated issue. I have never seen the use of chaperones as they are paid by the practice and know where their bread is buttered and also if the doctor they work for goes down because they testify against them, it is probably time to find a new profession. On the flip side, if the patient brings a person along, presumably they are friendly with the patient and that causes some concern as far as their testimony goes. Video seems like the best option.