What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a literature review to assess the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) for 13 conditions and the cost implications of establishing an additional HBOT facility in a provincial health care system.
What They Found
The review found good evidence of effectiveness for hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) for four conditions and established it as the clinical standard of care for two others, but did not support routine use for seven indications. Establishing a second facility would make 59-87 additional patients eligible annually, improve quality of life for 30-60 persons, and incur an additional annual expenditure of $108,000 with capital costs exceeding $600,000.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients, this suggests that decisions about expanding hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) facilities in provinces would involve careful consideration of the number of patients who would benefit versus significant additional costs. Provinces considering new HBOT centers would need to weigh the potential for improving quality of life for 30-60 individuals against annual expenditures of over $100,000 and capital costs exceeding $600,000.
Canadian Relevance
This study does not have a direct Canadian connection, as it was not conducted in Canada. However, its findings on health technology assessment for hyperbaric oxygen treatment are relevant to policy decisions within Canadian provincial health care systems.
Study Limitations
The study's findings are based on a literature review conducted in 1999, which may not reflect the most current evidence on hyperbaric oxygen treatment effectiveness or cost implications.