MID-CITY, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Employees at Kaiser Permanente’s West Los Angeles Medical Center are expressing serious concerns after a hidden camera was found in a restroom used by emergency room staff at the Mid-City hospital.
The disturbing discovery was made in November, prompting a police investigation and a lawsuit from employees.
“My initial reaction I was very shocked, just being that I was going to the restroom several times during the shift, looking at the camera, not knowing what it was. After, I was more disgusted,” Tyesha Sullivan, a registered nurse at Kaiser Permanente, told reporters on Wednesday. “I became a little scared not knowing who placed the camera there.”
Attorney Jamal Tooson is representing 30 Kaiser Permanente employees. He said the hospital failed to protect the workers in one of the most private spaces, despite a similar incident he said occurred at one of the health care company’s other facilities.
“Certainly, they were on notice that this sort of thing can happen,” said Tooson, an attorney with the law firm Lessem Newstat & Tooson, LLP. “There should have been preventative measures to have been taken to ensure my clients didn’t have to go what they went through. Several of my clients have already started going to therapy and they’re really struggling with what could’ve been seen on that camera and who has seen it.”
In a statement provided to ABC7, Kaiser Permanente said it was “shocked” and “deeply upset” to learn of the incident.
“This conduct is unacceptable and profoundly disturbing. Protecting the safety, privacy, and trust of our patients, members, and employees is a responsibility we take extremely seriously,” the statement said. “Following the discovery, we conducted a comprehensive inspection of the affected area and confirmed that no additional devices were present. We also implemented targeted and ongoing security checks at this location, with plans to expand a broader security review program across our facilities.”
According to Kaiser Permanente, the employee was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department and is no longer employed by the hospital.
Sullivan said the effects of the ordeal have been long-lasting
“When I am in a public restroom, I’m looking for cracks, flashing lights. I try to hold my urine because I’m afraid to go to a public restroom,” she said. “I only feel safe at home.”
The LAPD is still investigating the case, with the suspect who was arrested being formally charged by the L.A. city attorney’s office.
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