MIAMI — Expired defribillator 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 “Additionally, the facility’s policies and procedures manual were out of date, and the facility did not have a risk management program in place.”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 that began Oct. 15, the office of Li J. Voepel, M.D., P.A. has to pay $7,171 to reimburse Department of Health case costs.

As the office’s designated physician, the person in charge of making sure the office operates in compliance with Florida code and laws, Voepel was fined $2,000 and charged $18,000 in case cost reimbursement; received a written reprimand; has to take three five-hour continuing education courses, in infection control, risk management, and laws, rules and ethics; and has to provide “a written statement to the Board (of Medicine) outlining all changes implemented in her medical practice as a result of the department’s inspection on March 7, 2025...”

Voepel, licensed in Florida as “Dr. Li Jin Voepel” since May 5, 2002, didn’t return emails or phone calls to her office, 4015 N. Harbor City Blvd.

Hepatitis C, handwashing, old drugs

“Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver swelling,” the Mayo Clinic said. “Hepatitis C can lead to serious liver damage. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) spreads through contact with blood that has the virus in it.

“But many people with hepatitis C don’t know they have it. That’s mainly because symptoms can take decades to appear.”

Florida’s Department of Health said hepatitis C “is most commonly spread via needle use, which includes breaches in infection control practices In a clinical setting.”

After three patients got hep C via treatment that they received at Li J. Voepel, M.D., P.A., the administrative complaint said, a Department of Health inspector showed up at the office on March 7.

“At the time of the inspection of Li J. Voepel, M.D., P.A., several deficiencies were noted,” the complaint said.

•“The facility did not have a handwashing station with the capabilities to sterilize the surgical team members’ hands prior to the procedure.”

•The defibrillator pads had expired in July 2024.

•The facility’s crash cart, the rolling cart with drawers, didn’t have the required dopamine. The following drugs were there, but expired: atropine, dextrose, diphenhydramine, epinephrine, lidocaine, naloxone, and/or a beta blocker.

•The office lacked enough “backup power in the case of an outage to allow the physician to safely terminate the procedure and to allow the patient to come out of the anesthesia” without threatening sterile conditions.

•“Lisa Stebben had been assisting in the operating room since late 2024. Lisa Stebben was not listed on Li J. Voepel, M.D., P.A.’s registration at the time of the inspection.” Each office surgery center must list its staff among “Supervising Practitioners” on the Department of Health website.

•“The facility did not maintain a quarterly review of the risk management program, and the program had not been reviewed since January 2024.”

Another administrative complaint filed against Voepel said the office “was not registered with the Department as a pain-management clinic, nor did it hold a certificate of exemption from such registration,” but “the office advertised pain management services” through signs, pamphlets and the website.

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