Standardization

HMF’s Standardization Initiative

There are approximately 1000 free-standing and hospital-bed hyperbaric clinics across the United States. Hospital based treatments range between $1300- $2500 per treatment. Free-standing clinic treatments range between $125 – $350 per treatment.

Hospital-based clinics are typically restricted to providing hyperbaric treatment for only 15 medical conditions (indications) that are currently covered by insurers in the United States. So many patients go to free-standing clinics, and pay out-of-pocket for treatment for their non-covered medical conditions.

Ultimately, patients and clinics suffer from disparities between the two models. Those disparities can limit coverage, and limit access to treatment.

The Hyperbaric Medicine Foundation will help to improve standardization, so that hyperbaric treatment is more accessible for patients, less of a risk to insurers, and more sustainable for clinic owners by:

  • Collaborating with practitioners of both hospital-based and free-standing clinic models.
  • Advocating for consistent certification across both models.
  • Creating and helping to implement sensible and effective standards for free-standing clinics.
  • Working with certifying bodies to improve standardization of  treatments.
  • Standardizing the documentation of patient outcomes.
  • Creating a central data repository for the collection and reporting of outcomes.
  • Improving the national perception of the benefits of hyperbaric treatment.