The Florida Department of Health has restricted a Melbourne doctor's license after three patients tested positive for hepatitis C.The 16-page report from the Florida Department of Health stated that three people, identified only by their initials, were infected with a "very rare strain of the disease." The only common exposure among these patients was their treatment by Dr. Lily Voepel at Interventional Pain Management, according to the report.The report goes on to say that Voepel failed to ensure proper sanitization and sterilization procedures were followed and that her negligent actions caused her patients to become infected with a rare and infectious disease.The Florida Department of Health report continues to describe specific issues at the facility:The facility did not have a handwashing station with the capability to sterilize the surgical team members' hands prior to the procedure.The crash cart contained several vials and syringes of medications that were expired.Reusable medical equipment that went through reprocessing was not observed to be mechanically cleaned.Needles were located outside the sharp container bin.A single-use bag of saline had been used to withdraw saline flushes for multiple patients.Voepel's license is currently restricted from performing any medical procedures "involving intravenous, intramuscular, or subcutaneous injections" or "any procedure involving inserting a needle or other device into the skin."The facility itself is still open. We attempted to get Voepel's side of the story, but staff told us they would not be commenting at this time, as it is an ongoing investigation.While most people will only experience mild symptoms of hepatitis C, such as fatigue, nausea, yellowing of the skin, and joint pain, some can remain asymptomatic. Chronic infection could lead to more serious health issues, including liver failure or liver cancer.If you believe you have been impacted or have additional questions, you can call the health department at 850-245-4444.