AZ Wound & Hyperbaric Medicine

Planning your visit

No physician referral is required; the practice sees patients with or without a physician referral.

The first appointment lasts about one hour and covers medical and surgical history, current medications and dosages, and a detailed evaluation of the wound and any prior treatments; patients are asked to bring a complete list of their medications. After scheduling, intake forms are completed online through a secure link sent by text or email, and printed forms are available at the first appointment. The practice says it offers same-day appointments and flexible scheduling, including weekly, daily and same-day visits when possible. The practice's HBOT page says most HBOT programs run Monday through Friday for six weeks, with each session lasting about 2.5 hours and about 90 minutes spent in the chamber; the North Phoenix page gives 1.5 to 2 hours per session. The provider sets the number of treatments, their length and the pressure. Patients change into 100% cotton scrubs or a gown provided by the clinic. Hair products, make-up, perfume, jewelry, hearing aids, wigs, mobile phones and non-cotton undergarments are not allowed in the chamber, and implanted devices such as pacemakers or defibrillators should be reported to the provider. Before treatment, staff check the ears, blood pressure and, for patients with diabetes, blood sugar, and show patients how to clear their ears as pressure increases. If prescribed, patients take air breaks of 5 to 10 minutes during treatment, breathing room air through a mask, and at the end of the session the pressure is lowered gradually over 5 to 15 minutes. The clinic asks patients to avoid alcohol, carbonated drinks and tobacco during the course of treatment and requests 24 hours' notice for cancellations.