Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Ottawa

Yes. The Ottawa Hospital operates the OHIP-covered HBOT programme in Ottawa, fully covered for all 14 recognised conditions with a physician referral. Ottawa also has Terapia on Baseline Road, an Independent Health Facility that bills OHIP for the recognised indications, with self-pay for off-label conditions or faster scheduling.

At The Ottawa Hospital, HBOT is OHIP-covered at no out-of-pocket cost with a physician referral. At Terapia, private sessions cost approximately $200 to $300 each. A typical course of 40 sessions at Terapia runs $8,000–$12,000.

Yes. Patients from western Quebec, particularly Gatineau and the Outaouais region, are regularly referred to The Ottawa Hospital. RAMQ does not cover out-of-province OHIP rates, so costs and billing arrangements should be confirmed with The Ottawa Hospital billing department before treatment begins.

Ask your family physician, oncologist, or specialist to contact The Ottawa Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit directly at 613-737-8966. Urgent cases like carbon monoxide poisoning or diving accidents proceed as emergencies through the emergency department without requiring prior referral.

A standard session at The Ottawa Hospital lasts 90 to 120 minutes, including compression to 2.0–2.4 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.

Portable soft-sided chambers are sold and rented but operate at only 1.3 ATA with ambient air, not the 2.0+ ATA with 100% oxygen used in clinical HBOT. Health Canada does not license soft chambers for the 14 recognised medical indications. For any clinically indicated condition, treatment at The Ottawa Hospital or Terapia is the evidence-based option.

Yes. Nunavut does not have its own HBOT facility, and the Government of Nunavut Medical Travel programme routes patients requiring hyperbaric care to The Ottawa Hospital. Travel, accommodation, and treatment are coordinated through the territorial health system.

Chronic post-concussion syndrome and traumatic brain injury are not on Ontario's 14 OHIP-covered indications. The Ottawa Hospital treats only the approved list. Conditions outside Ontario's 14 OHIP-covered indications are not OHIP-funded; Terapia may offer them on a self-pay basis, but availability varies and is not guaranteed, so confirm directly with the clinic. Research evidence on HBOT for chronic TBI is mixed, consult both your treating neurologist and a hyperbaric physician before committing to a private treatment course.

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 Ottawa should disclose their chamber type and operating pressure on request.

A standard HBOT session at clinics and hospital programmes serving Ottawa 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.