Hamilton General Hospital
HospitalHamilton, ON
Three monoplace chambers (3 ATA), two critical-care equipped. 24/7 emergency.
HAM
Hospital Only
1 facility
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Hamilton
Ontario. Hamilton General Hospital operates the OHIP-covered HBOT programme, one of three hospital HBOT centres in Ontario. Details below.
Quick Answer
In short, HBOT in Hamilton: Hamilton has one hyperbaric oxygen therapy facility: Hamilton General Hospital (part of Hamilton Health Sciences) operates an OHIP-covered hyperbaric unit (three monoplace chambers rated to 3 <abbr title="Atmospheres Absolute, a unit of pressure. Standard HBOT is 2.0 to 2.4 ATA." data-ch-glossary-linked="1">ATA, two equipped for critical care) with 24/7 emergency capability. It is one of three hospital-based HBOT programmes in Ontario and serves Hamilton, Niagara, Halton, and western GTA patients. OHIP covers HBOT at Hamilton General for all 14 recognised conditions with a physician referral. Private HBOT is not available within Hamilton city limits; patients seeking private HBOT travel to Mississauga or the GTA.
Key facts at a glance
| City | Hamilton, Ontario |
|---|---|
| Facilities | 1 (1 hospital, 0 private) |
| Provincial plan | OHIP |
| Coverage | Covers 14 conditions at hospital |
| Typical wait | 3 to 10 weeks |
| Emergency | 24/7 at HGH |
| Private cost | No private HBOT in Hamilton |
| Last updated |
Facilities
1
1 hospital · 0 private
Provincial Plan
OHIP
Covers 14 conditions at hospital
Typical Wait
3 to 10 weeks
For elective indications
Emergency
24/7 at HGH
CO, air embolism, DCS
HBOT Facilities in Hamilton
OHIP covers HBOT at Hamilton General Hospital for all 14 recognised conditions, and select eligible Independent Health Facilities elsewhere in Ontario may also bill OHIP for approved indications (eligibility varies by facility and indication; confirm directly with each clinic). Physician referral required. No private HBOT clinic operates within Hamilton city limits.
Independent directory, no paid placements
learn more
Hospital Programmes, Provincial Coverage Available
How Much Does HBOT Cost in Hamilton?
OHIP covers all 14 recognised conditions at Hamilton General Hospital at no out-of-pocket cost when you have a physician referral. Patients seeking private HBOT travel to Mississauga or the broader GTA; private sessions there typically cost $150 to $400.
For an OHIP-covered indication
$0 with physician referral
Fully covered with physician referral. Hamilton General runs three monoplace chambers (rated to 3 ATA, two equipped for critical care, including intubated patients) and operates 24/7 for emergency cases.
Private-pay option
No private HBOT in Hamilton
Some facilities offer private-pay HBOT, typically for conditions outside the recognised indications list or for patients preferring faster scheduling. The nearest private HBOT clinics are in Mississauga (about 50 km northeast). Private sessions there typically cost $150 to $400 per session depending on chamber type.
Note: Parking and transportation to Hamilton General are the patient's responsibility. The hospital offers patient and family accommodation resources for out-of-region referrals.
For Patients
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy cost in Canada: all provinces and cities
Full per-province table, package discounts, what affects price, extended health insurance, and source-traced canonical numbers.
See cost reference
How to Get a Referral for HBOT in Hamilton
For OHIP-covered treatment, obtain a referral from your family physician or specialist to the Hamilton General Hyperbaric Medicine programme.
- 1 Confirm your condition is one of the 14 Health Canada-recognised indications.
- 2 Ask your family doctor or specialist for a referral to the Hamilton General Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine programme.
- 3 The receiving unit triages referrals by clinical urgency. Emergency indications such as carbon monoxide poisoning are treated immediately.
- 4 For elective indications, expect an initial assessment before treatment begins. Wait times range from 3 to 10 weeks depending on clinical urgency.
- 5 If wait times are prohibitive or your indication is off the OHIP-covered list, consider a private clinic from a nearby city. Details are on the corresponding city pages.
Emergency HBOT Access in Hamilton
Time-critical hyperbaric indications in Hamilton and the surrounding Niagara, Halton, and western GTA region are treated as emergencies at Hamilton General Hospital.
Call 911 for any suspected carbon monoxide poisoning, diving accident, or gas embolism. Emergency Medical Services transport to Hamilton General Hospital, which operates a 24/7 hyperbaric medicine unit (three monoplace chambers, two critical-care equipped). For inter-facility transfers, physicians coordinate through CritiCall Ontario at 1-800-668-4357. See the facility card above for unit contact information.
Getting There & Accessibility
Transit, parking, and drop-off details for each facility.
Hamilton General Hospital
237 Barton Street East, north end. Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) buses 2, 3, and 4 serve the hospital. GO Transit Hamilton (West Harbour) about 3 km west. Paid patient parking on site.
Conditions Commonly Treated
Hamilton General treats all 14 OHIP-covered conditions. Common Hamilton referrals include delayed radiation injury from Juravinski Cancer Centre, diabetic foot ulcers from regional wound clinics, and necrotizing soft tissue infections from the Hamilton Health Sciences ICU network.
Health Canada-recognised conditions covered in Hamilton
Air or Gas Embolism, Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, Gas Gangrene, Crush Injury, Compartment Syndrome & Acute Traumatic Ischaemia, Decompression Sickness, Enhancement of Healing in Selected Problem Wounds, Exceptional Blood Loss (Anaemia), Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections, Chronic Osteomyelitis, Soft Tissue Radiation Necrosis, Radiation Damage Affecting Bone, Compromised Skin Grafts & Flaps, Thermal Burns, Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss.
Local Research Connection
Hamilton General Hospital is a McMaster University teaching hospital and operates one of Ontario's three hospital hyperbaric programmes.
Local Context
Hamilton General is one of three Ontario hospital HBOT programmes and the regional referral centre for Niagara, Halton, and western GTA hyperbaric emergencies. It operates three monoplace chambers, two equipped for critically ill patients requiring intensive care, and receives patients from surrounding community hospitals via CritiCall Ontario.
Recent research relevant to Hamilton referrals
Latest HBOT evidence in the conditions most commonly treated in Hamilton
Curated weekly from our database of 14,519+ peer-reviewed studies, weighted toward Canadian-affiliated research and the condition referral patterns served in Hamilton.
2019 ·Can J Neurol Sci ·Canadian-affiliated ·Tier 1 evidence
Hyperbaric oxygen for radiation necrosis of the brain
Read summary →
2016 ·Oral Dis ·Canadian-affiliated ·Tier 1 evidence
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and osteonecrosis
Read summary →
2026 ·Urologia ·Canadian-affiliated
Radiotherapy effects on the lower urinary tract: A review of long-term complications and their management.
Read summary →
2025 ·Practical neurology ·Canadian-affiliated
Post-radiation optic neuropathy.
Read summary →
2024 ·Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology ·Canadian-affiliated
Prevention and Management of Osteoradionecrosis in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Treated With Radiation Therapy: ISOO-MASCC-ASCO Guideline.
Read summary →
Patient logistics · Hamilton
Approximate drive times to HBOT facilities from Hamilton
Off-peak driving estimates. Treatment courses typically run 4 to 12 weeks of near-daily attendance, so a realistic round-trip estimate matters when planning.
Downtown → Hamilton General Hospital
5min
2 km · central downtown
Dundas → Hamilton General Hospital
10min
8 km · Cootes Drive
Mountain → Toronto General Hospital
1h 15min
75 km · QEW east
Estimates only. Confirm via your preferred routing service before travel.
Local referral pathways · Hamilton
Where Hamilton clinicians refer patients for HBOT
Most HBOT referrals start with a specialist who first identifies the underlying condition. The institutions below are local entry points patients in Hamilton commonly pass through before reaching a hyperbaric programme.
Audiology & ENT
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (14-day HBOT window)
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton Audiology and Hearing Aid Services
50 Charlton Ave E, Bishop Dowling Wing Level 0, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6 · 905-521-6102
Full diagnostic audiology clinic offering hearing assessment, ENG and VNG balance testing, and auditory processing evaluation, affiliated with the McMaster University teaching network. Patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss confirmed here are referred to Hamilton General Hospital's on-site Hyperbaric Medicine Unit for OHIP-funded HBOT within the 14-day window.
Verified 2026-05-30
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton ENT and Head and Neck Surgery Clinic
50 Charlton Ave E, Mary Grace Wing 8th Floor, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6 · 905-522-1155 ext. 32971
McMaster-affiliated otolaryngology service managing disorders of hearing, balance, and the head and neck including tumours. ENT evaluation of sudden sensorineural hearing loss, including occupational noise-exposure cases common in Hamilton's Stelco and ArcelorMittal Dofasco workforce, routinely precedes referral to Hamilton General's Hyperbaric Medicine Unit for adjunctive HBOT.
Verified 2026-05-30
Oncology & Cancer Centres
Delayed radiation injury referrals
Juravinski Cancer Centre at Hamilton Health Sciences
699 Concession St, Hamilton, ON L8V 5C2 · 905-387-9495
The regional oncology referral hub for central-west Ontario, offering radiation therapy, systemic therapy, and palliative care. Patients who develop delayed radiation injury, including radiation cystitis, osteoradionecrosis, and soft-tissue radionecrosis following treatment here, are referred to the co-located Hamilton General Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (both facilities are part of Hamilton Health Sciences) for OHIP-funded HBOT.
Verified 2026-05-30
Hamilton General Hospital Cancer Follow-Up Clinics
237 Barton St E, Hamilton, ON L8L 2X2 · 905-521-2100
Tertiary-care centre and host of the only OHIP-funded Hyperbaric Medicine Unit in the region. Cancer follow-up clinics here manage late-effect radiation complications, including cystitis, proctitis, and osteoradionecrosis from head-and-neck radiation, with HBOT available on-site as a recognised standard of care for delayed radiation injury.
Verified 2026-05-30
Wound Care Programs
Diabetic foot ulcers & non-healing wounds
The Mayer Institute Diabetic Foot Wound Care
20 Railway St, Hamilton, ON L8R 2R3 · 905-523-1444
Hamilton's specialist centre for evidence-based diabetic foot ulcer care, limb salvage, debridement, and offloading, directly affiliated with the Hamilton Health Sciences Lower-Limb Preservation Integrated Care Program. Non-healing diabetic foot wounds that fail standard wound-care protocols are referred to Hamilton General Hospital's Hyperbaric Medicine Unit, where OHIP-funded HBOT is an established adjunct for advanced Wagner-grade wounds at risk of amputation.
Verified 2026-05-30
Ontario Health atHome Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Community Wound Care
211 Pritchard Rd, Unit 1, Hamilton, ON L8J 0G5 · 1-866-790-4642
Government-funded home and community nursing service coordinating in-home wound care for ambulatory patients with diabetic foot ulcers, post-surgical wounds, and chronic non-healing wounds across the Hamilton, Niagara, Haldimand, and Brant catchment. Complex wounds that do not respond to community care are escalated to specialist wound programmes and, where clinically indicated, referred to Hamilton General's Hyperbaric Medicine Unit for OHIP-funded HBOT.
Verified 2026-05-30
Independent directory. No paid placements. Listings are for navigation only; confirm current details with each institution directly.
Nearest Alternatives to Hamilton
Toronto General / UHN
Toronto, ON · 68 km northeast
Among Canada's busiest hospital HBOT programmes. Used for overflow and specialist consultation.
MO2R
Mississauga, ON · 50 km northeast
Nearest private HBOT option. Broader indication acceptance.
Rouge Valley Hyperbaric Medical Centre
Toronto (Scarborough), ON · 85 km east
Private clinic on the Scarborough Health Network campus. Confirm OHIP eligibility directly with the clinic.
Frequently Asked Questions, HBOT in Hamilton
Does OHIP cover HBOT in Hamilton?
Yes. OHIP covers HBOT at Hamilton General Hospital for the 14 Health Canada-recognised conditions including diabetic foot ulcers, delayed radiation injury, carbon monoxide poisoning, and osteoradionecrosis. A physician referral is required.
How much does HBOT cost in Hamilton?
HBOT is free at Hamilton General Hospital if you have an OHIP-covered indication and a physician referral. There is no private HBOT clinic in Hamilton; the nearest private options are in Mississauga (about 50 km northeast), where sessions cost $150 to $400.
How do I get a referral for HBOT in Hamilton?
Ask your family physician or specialist for a referral to the Hamilton General Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine programme. Urgent cases like carbon monoxide poisoning or decompression sickness proceed as emergencies through the emergency department without requiring prior referral.
How long is the wait for HBOT at Hamilton General?
Emergency indications are treated immediately. For elective indications like radiation injury or chronic wounds, wait times at Hamilton General typically range from 3 to 10 weeks depending on clinical urgency.
Does Hamilton General treat diving emergencies?
Yes. Hamilton General is the regional hyperbaric centre for decompression sickness from recreational diving in Lake Ontario, the Niagara Peninsula, and Georgian Bay. EMS routes decompression-sickness cases to Hamilton or Toronto General depending on proximity.
How long does an HBOT session last?
A standard session at Hamilton General runs 90 to 120 minutes including compression to 2.0 to 2.4 ATA, treatment breathing 100% oxygen, and decompression. Most clinical protocols call for 20 to 40 daily sessions, 5 days per week; some radiation indications may require up to 60 sessions.
Is HBOT safe?
Yes, when delivered at an accredited clinical facility. HBOT at Hamilton General has a strong safety record. Common, mild side effects include ear pressure discomfort during compression, temporary vision changes that resolve after treatment, and occasional claustrophobia.
Where is the closest HBOT facility to me in the Hamilton region?
Hamilton General is the regional HBOT hospital for Hamilton, Burlington, Niagara, and the western GTA. For patients in the northeast GTA, MO2R in Mississauga and Toronto General are often closer. See the Nearest Alternatives section further down the page.
What is the difference between mild hyperbaric chambers and clinical-grade HBOT in Hamilton?
Clinical-grade hyperbaric oxygen therapy delivers 100 per cent oxygen at 2.0 to 2.8 ATA inside a Health Canada-licensed chamber. "Mild" or "soft" hyperbaric chambers (sometimes called "oxygen bars" or "recreational chambers") operate at 1.3 ATA or less, sometimes with ambient air rather than concentrated oxygen, and are not Health Canada-licensed for the 14 recognised clinical indications. The clinical evidence base for HBOT references pressures of 2.0 ATA and above; lower-pressure protocols do not produce the same dissolved-oxygen physiology. Provincial health plans cover treatment only at hospital programmes operating clinical-grade chambers; private clinics in Hamilton should disclose their chamber type and operating pressure on request.
How long are hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions in Hamilton?
A standard HBOT session at clinics and hospital programmes serving Hamilton lasts 90 to 120 minutes door-to-door: roughly 10 to 15 minutes for compression to treatment depth (typically 2.0 to 2.8 ATA), 60 to 90 minutes at treatment pressure, and 10 to 15 minutes for decompression. Patients change into chamber-safe cotton clothing, remove all electronics and oils or lotions, and either lie down in a monoplace chamber or sit in a multiplace chamber. Most chronic-condition courses run 20 to 40 sessions delivered daily or near-daily over 4 to 8 weeks; emergency indications use shorter, time-critical protocols.
What to expect at your first HBOT appointment in Hamilton
An HBOT session takes 90 to 120 minutes door-to-door at 2.0 to 2.4 ATA, with a standard treatment course of 20 to 60 daily weekday sessions. For the full session walkthrough, preparation checklist (what to wear, what to avoid before treatment), common side effects, chamber-type differences, and contraindications, see our What to expect from HBOT guide.
Travelling to Hamilton for HBOT
A standard HBOT course runs 20 to 40 sessions over 4 to 12 weeks. For provincial medical travel grants (including the Northern Health Travel Grant, MTAP, and territorial programmes), Veterans Affairs Canada coverage, interprovincial reciprocal billing rules, and patient accommodation guidance specific to Ontario, see our Canadian medical travel guide for HBOT patients.
HBOT in other Ontario cities
About this page
This page is maintained by the Canada Hyperbarics Research Team, an independent resource for HBOT information in Canada. We accept no paid placements or sponsorship. Content is drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by the editorial team before publication. See our full editorial policy for sourcing standards (Health Canada MDALL, CUHMA, UHMS 15th Edition, PubMed) and the AI-assist disclosure.