Doctor referral for hyperbaric
- Wesley Hyperbaric
It’s something we hear far too often. “No one told me this was available.”
That single sentence, shared by so many patients, says everything we need to know about the current state of awareness around hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).
GP hbot
Why awareness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy matters
At Wesley Hyperbaric in Brisbane, we see patients with a range of conditions; from radiation tissue injury to diabetic foot ulcers and sudden hearing loss. But time and again, the patients who walk through our doors aren’t new to their condition. They’ve been living with symptoms for months or even years, often unaware that HBOT was an option.
This isn’t a criticism of general practice. In fact, AssociateProfessor Susannah Sherlock, our Medical Director, puts it plainly:
“No one told me this was available,” is the most common thing I hear from patients. It’s not anyone’s fault; you don’t know what you don’t know.
And that’s exactly the point. If you’re a GP, we want to bridge that knowledge gap; not because you should have known already, but because HBOT is still a niche field. It isn’t part of medical school in Australia; if you want to know more about HBOT you need to get an Advanced Certificate in Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine.
In the right clinical context, HBOT can make a life-changing difference.
These are the kinds of changes we see when HBOT works: patients no longer waking multiple times a night due to bladder urgency; bowel function improving after months of bleeding from radiation proctitis; ulcers healing before they lead to amputation; hearing returning just in time. They’re not rare miracles; they’re documented outcomes when treatment is timely and appropriate.
HBOT is more than diving medicine
When most people think of hyperbaric oxygen, they picture divers with “the bends.” While treating decompression sickness is still part of what we do, it’s just a fraction of the story.
Here at Wesley Hyperbaric, the majority of our patients, around 80%, are being treated for delayed radiation injuries. These are people whose cancer has been successfully treated, but who are now living with painful, disruptive side effects like radiation cystitis, proctitis, or non-healing wounds.
“Although it only affects about 10% of patients, the consequences are often severe. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can make an enormous difference.”
HBOT isn’t experimental in these cases. In fact, Medicare fully covers treatment for radiation tissue injuries. Yet, many people live with these complications for years, cycling through different specialists, without ever being told HBOT is an option.
Sudden hearing loss? Time is everything
Another situation where awareness is critical is idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL).
HBOT is most effective when used early: ideally within 14 days of onset. That means the window to intervene is short, and early recognition and referral by GPs is key. The challenge, of course, is distinguishing sensorineural loss from other types of hearing issues in a standard consult.
But it’s worth it, because outcomes can be dramatic:
“If treated early enough, around 80% of patients will experience improvement or a return to normal hearing.”
When the window is missed, the opportunity for recovery is often lost. For something as impactful as hearing loss, that’s a heartbreaking outcome if referral was simply delayed due to lack of awareness.
Other common referrals
While radiation injury and sudden hearing loss are our biggest GP referral categories, there are other important recognised conditions where HBOT may be beneficial:
- Diabetic foot ulcers that aren’t healing despite best-practice wound care.
- Serious infections like necrotising fasciitis, where tissue oxygenation plays a critical role.
- Compromised skin grafts or flaps in high-risk surgical patients.
Not everyone will be eligible, but a simple referral gives you access to an assessment by our specialist team.
HBOT is accessible and often covered
Another misconception is that HBOT is hard to access or very expensive. In reality:
- Radiation injury is fully funded by Medicare and all major private health funds.
- SSNHL is not Medicare-funded, but private insurers generally cover it fully, recognising that hearing loss is irreversible without prompt treatment.
- We also treat DVA, WorkCover, and self-insured patients, with support from our admin team to clarify funding before treatment begins.
Put simply: funding is rarely the barrier. Awareness is.
How to refer a patient for HBOT
If you have a patient who may benefit, the process is simple:
- Write a referral to Wesley Hyperbaric.
- Include relevant history, reports or imaging.
- Send it via secure messaging, or provide it to the patient to bring in.
We take care of the rest; from eligibility checks to insurance admin and treatment planning.
Do i need a doctor referral for hyperbaric
Why this matters
HBOT isn’t the right treatment for every patient. But for those who meet the criteria, it can dramatically improve healing, function, and quality of life.
You don’t need to become a hyperbaric expert. But keeping it in mind as an option, especially for radiation injury or sudden hearing loss, could be the thing that changes a patient’s life.
And they won’t be left saying “No one told me this was available.”
Your journey starts with these 3 steps
When you have completed your hyperbaric sessions, your condition is reassessed by one of our doctors.