Preparing For Your First Visit

Your regular healthcare provider or the specialist who is managing your problem should call and speak to a member of the hyperbaric team. After receiving this referral, we will contact you to set up a consultation. Bring a list of your current medicines, insurance card, and relevant medical records to this appointment.

During your first visit, which may take about an hour and half, you will be seen by a healthcare provider with special training in hyperbaric medicine. We may recommend more tests to make sure we can provide hyperbaric oxygen to you safely.

If we recommend that you have hyperbaric oxygen therapy, we will work with your regular healthcare provider to manage your treatment. We will also request pre-approval from your health insurance company, which may take up to two weeks. If your condition requires urgent therapy, however, we would not delay your care by waiting for insurance approval.

What is a Hyperbaric Treatment Like?

Hyperbaric oxygen treatments are normally painless. You can listen to music, watch TV, or nap in the chamber. The average session lasts about two hours. A member of our staff will explain what to expect before the treatment begins.

For safety reasons, only gowns or scrubs that we provide can be worn in the chamber. We have lockers for your personal belongings, but please leave all valuables at home.

You will be carefully watched during treatment. A staff member will remain with you constantly, and a doctor or other provider will be nearby to supervise the treatment.

Treatments are scheduled daily, Monday through Friday, with weekends and holidays off if the patient’s condition allows. Treatment times may vary and sometimes changed due to emergencies. Please be considerate of others by arriving promptly and allowing plenty of time to change out of street clothes.

A course of hyperbaric therapy is time consuming, and some patients feel tired after each session. Please call before your treatment if you are ill. The doctor or provider will decide if you can still have a treatment that day.

Items Not Allowed in the Chamber

  • Personal electronic devices (cell phones, tablet computers, mp3 players, gaming consoles, etc.)
  • Anything with a battery inside (including hearing aids and watches)
  • Jewelry
  • Warming or electrical devices (for example, hand warmers)
  • Paper products (except for books, which can only go in the room-sized chamber)
  • Makeup, hair products, skin lotion, glycerin products
  • Street clothing