SAFETY continued 2)Indemnification from legal liability for hyperbaric treat- ment facilities and medical providers who provide emer- gency hyperbaric treatment to divers and other non-diving patients who require it. 3)Recognition of the public service performed by the hy- perbaric treatment facilities that offer emergency hyper- baric treatment when indicated. 4) Favorable consideration with respect to Medicare, Med- icaid, and private insurance reimbursements to hyper- baric treatment facilities and medical providers that offer emergency hyperbaric treatment when indicated, includ- ing carve-outs to inpatient DRG (diagnosis-related group) payments. 5)Incentives for military hyperbaric facilities to provide emergency hyperbaric treatment to civilian patients through emphasis on the training benefit to military providers that this accomplishes; third-party reimburse-
have the DAN Emergency Hotline number in your emer- gency assistance/action plan. If a pressure-related emer- gency were to occur, DAN can assist in getting you to the most appropriate, available treatment facility with as little delay as possible. Remember that the treatment facility you may be referred to may not be local to your dive location, but DAN is aware of the locations of all treatment facilities available to treat injured divers 24/7. Divers can also determine if treatment facilities at or near their favorite dive location are, indeed, available on a 24/7 basis and, if not, encourage the local diving community to put pressure on that facility to be available when needed. This may require the local community to reach out to the treatment facility to express their concern and, possibly, offer support in the form of fundraisers or other activities that could help. In some areas of the U.S., the local diving com- munity has sponsored “Divers Days” to raise awareness and funds to support local treatment facilities. There are organ-
ment for emergency hyper- baric treatment provided to civilian patients by military hyperbaric facilities; and in- demnification of the mili- tary facility from lawsuits resulting from this public service activity. In addition, there should be federal support for non-profit organizations, such as DAN, that are willing to operate around the
izations, such as DAN, and indi- viduals who will gladly volunteer their time and resources to help such a worthy cause. Like any other risk in diver safety, we must identify and find ways to mitigate that risk. We now know that the decreasing availability of treatment facilities willing or able to provide emer- gency hyperbaric treatment when we need it most increases
The graphic above was provided by John Peters, Executive Director of the UHMS and identifies the UHMS-accredited Level One Hyperbaric Facilities in the U.S.
our risk as divers. We must mobilize and mitigate that risk by working with local, state, and national officials to let once- available treatment facilities know of our concern and work with them to find ways to reduce that risk through cooper- ative and supportive measures. References: Butler, F. Capt. (ret). Personal communication. Buzzacott, P. A Report on 2016 Diving Fatalities, Injuries and Incidents. DAN 2018 Annual Diving Report. Divers Alert Network. 2018. Clarke, D. Divers Losing Access to Emergency Care. Alert Diver. Winter 2012. Denoble, P. A Report on 2017 Diving Fatalities, Injuries and Incidents. DAN 2019 Annual Diving Report. Divers Alert Network. 2019. Divers Alert Network. Health & Medicine, Health Resources, Diseases & Conditions, Decompression Ill- ness. Gabriel, M. Lack of hyperbaric chambers in Pensacola continues to put divers' lives at risk, expert says. Pensacola News Journal. March 14, 2018. Garcia, J. Per-
clock assisting any patient who needs emergency hyperbaric treatment by identifying the nearest hyperbaric treatment fa- cility that is capable of providing this treatment and helping to arrange transportation to it. Since chamber availability may vary based on ongoing hyperbaric oxygen treatments, staffing issues, and chamber maintenance operations, the ability to quickly determine which hyperbaric treatment fa- cility is the most appropriate for a particular emergency pa- tient in a specific geographic area is critical to optimal care. It should likewise be a national healthcare priority to ensure that there is adequate funding for fellowship education in hyperbaric medicine so that appropriately trained physicians will be reliably available to oversee the hyperbaric treatment provided by these hyperbaric treatment facilities. So, what is a concerned and safety-conscious diver to do? First, it is important to be a member of DAN to support the emergency medical services they provide. And always
sonal communication. Orr, D. A Crisis Lurking Below the Surface Emergency Hyperbaric Treatment Availability. DiveNewsWire. August 24, 2021. Peters, J. Executive Director, Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society. Personal communication.
email Dan Orr
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