HCA Florida hospital addresses equipment sterilization issues

HCA Florida North Florida Hospital in Gainesville, which shut down procedures earlier this year to address equipment sterilization issues, has resumed all surgical operations.

"We are performing nearly 100% of all elective surgical cases and expect to be at full capacity soon," according to a statement from the hospital shared with Becker's. "We are dedicated to achieving this milestone with the same level of excellence our patients, physicians, staff and the community have come to expect from HCA Florida North Florida Hospital for the past 50 years."

A spokesperson for the hospital did not provide further information. 

North Florida Hospital, part of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare, confirmed last month that it was temporarily suspending elective surgeries beginning Jan. 17 to address equipment sterilization issues.

At the time, a hospital spokesperson said the equipment-related issue was affecting "presurgical processes" and that it was rescheduling certain elective procedures "out of an abundance of caution."

The spokesperson did not address other questions related to what specifically prompted the initial concerns or the type of equipment affected. The hospital also did not address the number of affected patients. 

In the weeks since the suspension of surgeries, "the hospital has installed additional pre-surgical processing units, procured new instruments, and expanded our surgical services staff," Lauren Lettelier, the hospital's director of communications and community engagement, told The Gainesville Sun.

She also told the publication that the hospital looks forward to reviewing findings from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, which is expected to release its preliminary report on the matter soon.

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