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Surgical gown maker used in Jacksonville accused of not protecting physicians

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Action News Jax is following up on a "60 Minutes" investigation into surgical gowns used by doctors at UF Health Jacksonville.

A surgeon within the hospital shared pictures that reportedly show blood and other bodily fluids that seeped through the gowns and onto their skin. The problem is called strike through.

UF Health Jacksonville confirmed Monday its surgeons now use a different kind of gown. In statement sent to Action News Jax, UF Health said:

“When we learned of the possible problem with medical gowns in early 2013 we immediately contacted the gown manufacturer, Kimberly-Clark Health Care [now Halyard Health], and steps were taken to address the problem. By June 2013, after multiple site visits and tests conducted by the manufacturer at UF Health Jacksonville, UF trauma physicians began using a different type of gown for trauma surgeries, and the new gown has worked well for them.

"UF Health Jacksonville is committed to the highest standard of patient care and employee safety. The type of gown worn by UF trauma surgeons is one of many important safety components continually reviewed as a part of our commitment to our care team and the citizens they serve. As the only Level I trauma center hospital in Northeast Florida, we are in the business of saving lives and treating those who otherwise wouldn’t have access to life-saving medical care in our community."

The specific surgical gowns called into question are called MICROCOOL and are made by Halyard Health.

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Since the "60 Minutes" investigation exposed allegations against the company, it was hit by a class action-lawsuit alleging it knowingly sold faulty gear.

The story caught the attention of Dr. Scot Ackerman, medical director of the Ackerman Cancer Center.

“It's a little unsettling that this equipment has been shown to fail,” Ackerman said.

Internal documents obtained by "60 Minutes" suggests that in 2014, six labor and delivery surgeons from what’s now named UF Health hospital in Gainesville reported having been exposed to blood while using the MICROCOOL gowns.

In 2013, documents also suggest a surgeon at, what’s now called UF Health Jacksonville, reported strike-through issues with the gowns.

St. Vincent’s surgeons also use gowns made by Halyard but when Action News Jax asked if they use MICROCOOL, the hospital spokesperson declined to comment.

Halyard Health said in a press release that it “forcefully rejects” the "60 Minutes" report and claims that “complaints by doctors and nurses claiming strike-through total less than one in 1 million gowns sold"

Ackerman said the issue may give medical professionals pause the next time they suit up to operate on a patient.

“It's good that we know about this and we know what the limitations of our equipment is,” Ackerman said Ackerman.

Since Ackerman Cancer Center does not do surgeries in its Mandarin facility, they do not use this specific kind of gown.

Baptist Health also acknowledged using the MICROCOOL gowns. In a statement its spokesperson said:

“We were made aware of the allegations of the strike-through issue reported last night on 60 Minutes. Baptist Health hospitals have and currently use the MICROCOOL surgical gowns. We take this information seriously and we are monitoring and evaluating any complaints or reports of issues with the gowns.  To date we have had none. In addition we will monitor any recommendations or guidance that comes from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) or the Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA), a trusted source for patient and healthcare worker safety.”