3 people caught Hepatitis C at Central Florida doctor’s office, state says

MIAMI — Expired defibrillator pads and inadequate handwashing facilities led to the suspension of the surgery registration license of a Florida doctor’s office after a Florida Department of Health investigation.

The investigation, the department says, was launched by three patients of Dr. Lily J. Voepel “contracting Hepatitis C via treatment that they received” at her Melbourne office.

“At the time of the inspection of Li J. Voepel, M.D., P.A., several deficiencies in the facility’s hygiene and sterilization procedures were noted,” a Department of Health administrative complaint against the doctor said. “Additionally, the facility’s policies and procedures manual were out of date, and the facility did not have a risk management program in place.”

In addition to a six-month suspension th