HBOT Facility Questions

Questions to ask when shopping around:

1. Is the facility located in a safe location easy to find?
2. How was the traffic?
3. How is the parking?
4. What are your chamber operators credentials? (CHT/CHS)
5. What is your staffing policy when chambers are in operation?
6. How do you like the staff?
7. How old are the chambers?
8. How often are they inspected?
9. Who inspects the chambers?
10. Can I see a copy of your last inspection?

(It is recommended to have chambers inspected by their manufacturer every year but is not required. Also, the life of most chambers is 10 years or 10000 cycles)

11. If there an on-site safety director?
12. Is there a physician available when needed?
13. How many physicians are on staff?
14. Do they all accept my insurance?
15. Are they trained in Hyperbaric Medicine?
16. Do you have Emergency protocols established?
17. How often are they reviewed?
18. Can I see them?
19. When was your last fire drill?
20. What Emergency lifesaving equipment do you have available on site? AED (for heart attacks), pneumothorax kit, vitals machine, temperature, pulse oximetry, glucometer, etc.
21. How long will my treatment time be?

This one is very important as when studies are published they show the time patients are treated at their prescribed treatment depth. For example, most studies show benefits at 2.0 atmospheres for 60 minutes. In the studies, they are referring to 60 mins at the 2.0ata prescribed depth to gain the results of the study.

I am realizing some facilities are marketing a lower price for 60 minutes but what they are not telling you is your treatment time starts as soon as they turn the chamber on.

Example: If you have a child, anyone with sinus issues, colds, unable to clear ears easily, medical conditions, etc, this may increase the time needed to reach the prescribed depth. It could take up to 15 mins just getting to 2.0 ata and if brought up at the same rate it would take 15 minutes climbing to the surface. This means that the patient was only at the recommended treatment depth for 30 minutes! This will take 80 treatments to achieve the same time as the 40 treatments there selling. This means more money and more time spent from the patient to gain results. Or this means that the patient will complete their treatments and tell their friends that Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy did not work for them. This is what frustrates me and puts a bad name in the area for my field as of course, it did not work because the patient was not treated with the appropriate protocol. So please be very careful and understand how they do their timing in the chamber. At our facility, we do not penalize patients for not be able to clear their ears as fast as others. The treatment time starts once the patient reaches their prescribed depth.

22. What depth will I be treated at? Why?
23. How long will I be at depth?
24. What is my travel time to and from pressure?
25. How often will I be treated?
26. What entertainment is available during my treatment?
27. What can I bring into the chamber?