Abbott Northwestern Hospital Wound Care Clinic

Planning your visit

A referral from the patient's doctor is required before the hyperbaric consult and first treatment.

New hyperbaric patients first complete a hyperbaric consult that screens for contraindications and confirms an approved indication; the patient's information is then submitted to insurance for prior authorization, and hyperbaric staff contact the patient to schedule the first treatment. Treatments are scheduled Monday through Friday and last 90 to 120 minutes each day; the hospital's HBOT page gives an average course of six weeks, which can be shorter or longer depending on the reason for treatment. Because the daily schedule is a significant time commitment, patients are advised to arrange consistent and reliable transportation. Patients are asked to arrive 15 minutes before each treatment, are given a locker and a hospital gown, and should wear or bring 100 percent cotton underwear. Patients are asked not to wear makeup, jewelry, perfume, cologne, aftershave or deodorant. Non-cotton fabrics such as silk, rayon or polyester are not allowed in the chamber, and valuables should be left at home. Patients are advised to stop smoking while having hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Patients with diabetes should eat before treatment and have their blood glucose checked before and after treatment. During treatment the patient lies on a stretcher alone in the chamber, can sleep, watch TV or listen to the radio, and can talk to the care team through a speaker, while multiple trained staff in the room monitor the treatment at all times. Wound-clinic visits begin with a medical-history review and wound evaluation, and X-rays, MRI, CT scans or non-invasive vascular studies may be recommended.