Hyperbaric Medicine Center News

The Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) recently granted Level Two Clinical Hyperbaric Facility Accreditation to the Phelps Department of Hyperbaric Medicine. The accreditation followed a comprehensive survey by a team of experts who visited the hospital’s Hyperbaric Medicine Center, home to the largest (12-person) hyperbaric chamber in the Northeast. UHMS grants accreditation to hyperbaric centers that demonstrate commitment to patient care and facility safety.

During hyperbaric treatment, patients breathe pure oxygen while sitting inside a pressurized chamber. It is used to treat a number of conditions, including tissue damage from radiation therapy, wounds that are difficult to heal and carbon monoxide poisoning. Hyperbaric medicine is also used as a secondary therapy for treatment of crush injuries, gangrene and bone or soft-tissue infections. In many cases, hyperbaric therapy speeds up recovery time, decreases the need for hospitalization and reduces the need for surgery.

“What really sets our staff apart is our extensive experience, training and dedication, which ensures that our patients receive optimal treatment in a safe and well-managed environment,” says Dr. Owen O’Neill, the department’s medical director. 

Dr. O’Neill was recently inducted as a Fellow of Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine by the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society at the society’s international meeting held in St. Louis, MO. FUHM recognition is an acknowledgement of achievement and high standards of expertise, practice and contribution to the field of undersea and hyperbaric medicine. There are currently only 63 Fellows internationally.