Kaiser Suspends 22 as Part of Drug Probe

At least 22 employees of Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Harbor City have been temporarily suspended as part of a one-year undercover investigation of alleged sale and use of drugs at the facility, hospital officials said Wednesday.

They said no final disciplinary action had been taken and law enforcement officials had not been brought in, although that possibility was not ruled out.

Although the continuing investigation focuses primarily on the sale and use of drugs, it has expanded to include allegations of petty theft of hospital supplies, said Timothy Reed, hospital administrator.

The probe--conducted by Narcorp of San Diego, a private investigation firm hired by Kaiser--involved the use of undercover officers posing as workers.

In a memo to employees, hospital officials said the medical center is a “microcosm of society” and the investigation “demonstrates that our program is committed to a drug-free environment.”