Walk into the building and there is the noise of whispers and secrets in the halls of Norcal Brain Center.
We’ve been guarding this news heavily, but I don’t know how much longer we can hold it in. I’ll even let
you in on it, but you must promise not to tell! The exciting news that everyone is whispering about is the
fact that Norcal Brain Center is upgrading our hyperbaric oxygen therapy! With the aims of constantly
improving patient experience and outcomes, we’ve got two new hard chambers arriving soon that will
be replacing our current soft chambers and come with a whole host of benefits for you to get excited
about.
As we make the jump from soft to hard chambers, we effectively increase the total capacity of oxygen
that is delivered to patients during the treatment, from 1.3 ATA and 21% O2 in a soft chamber to 1.5
ATA and 40% O2 in the hard chamber. The hard chamber can treat at up to 7 total psi of pressure,
increasing the overall flow of oxygen from chamber to patient! While the soft chambers are still
effective at the lower flow of oxygen, this upgrade will allow for increased efficiency and efficacy. There
are also features to allow for better monitoring by the HBOT staff, such as a more gradual pressurization
process so patients may be assessed and checked for any discomfort – such as pressure in the ears.
Alongside the increase in health benefits, these new chambers come with tons of bells and whistles to
aide in the most comfortable experience for patients. The process of entering the chamber will now be
much smoother with a sliding door entry and handlebar available for assistance, alongside the
assistance of the staff member letting you in. The outside of the chamber is equipped with a digital
display and control panel to monitor different data, including the internal pressure, air temperature,
humidity, and percent oxygenation, all allowing for optimal performance and treatment. Perhaps most
exciting is the addition of air conditioning, so no more ice packs necessary!
In addition to the new chambers, we’ll be offering more amenities to enhance the experience of all
patients – look forward to educational and stimulating reading and video materials, blankets and eye
masks to help get some shut eye, and toys and brain games to keep your mind churning, among other
things! We’re all very excited and we are certain this will result in increased patient outcomes and
experiences.
