Administering treatment to multiple patients at once is very common in the hyperbaric oxygen therapy industry. In these cases, cylindrical multiplace hyperbaric chambers are the industry standard, as they are designed with the capability to treat as many as 12-14 patients at any given time. They are also capable of providing options as far as size and the number of installed entry and service locks. With that said, they do come with their limitations.
Limitations of Cylindrical Multiplace Hyperbaric Chambers
Due to their cylindrical shape, multiplace hyperbaric chambers inherently provide limitations on the various ways that they can be used. Below, we will list some of these limitations.
- Difficult for both patients and medical staff to stand upright or to walk around during treatment
- Comfort can be an issue for some patients as they might begin to feel claustrophobic in the confined area
- Due to their cylindrical nature, it is difficult to treat patients who are on gurneys
- Medical facilities cannot be incorporated into a cylindrical hyperbaric chamber
- There will typically only be one attendant inside
Advantages of Custom Rectangular Hyperbaric Rooms
There are many cases where it is necessary to treat more than 14 patients at a time, or to treat multiple patients on gurneys. For these cases we recommend rectangular hyperbaric rooms as a solution. A rectangular hyperbaric room provides not only increased size and functionality, but also increased flexibility and patient comfort. The entire room is pressurized, while pure oxygen is delivered to patients through the use of a hood mask. The rooms can be designed and manufactured to any size specifications, giving you the ability to treat as many patients as necessary at any given time. Below, we have listed the main advantages to using a custom rectangular hyperbaric room over a cylindrical multiplace hyperbaric chamber.
- Ability to treat more patients at one time than within cylindrical chambers
- Increased flexibility in design options
- Ability to incorporate a medical clinic into the facility
- Both patients and staff are able to stand up and walk around comfortably
- Elimination of possible claustrophobia
- Ability to treat patients on gurneys
- Increased patient comfort during treatment
- Provides the option for additional medical staff to be present
- Incorporation of full size doors for smooth entrance of wheelchairs and gurneys
Costs of Custom Rectangular Hyperbaric Rooms
Due to their sheer size, increased customization options, and functional flexibility, custom rectangular hyperbaric rooms are generally the most expensive hyperbaric facilities to design and purchase. With that said, given the ability to treat more patients, and also a wider variety of patients, they provide the ability to generate more revenue than cylindrical multiplace hyperbaric chambers. The range of customization is wide and as a result the range of costs of custom rectangular hyperbaric rooms is also wide. A smaller room can be designed for around $1mm, while a large room can cost as much as $5mm. In addition to increased costs to design and manufacture custom rectangular hyperbaric rooms, there is also an increased turnaround time from order as they take longer to build than cylindrical multiplace hyperbaric chambers. An average expected turnaround time of a rectangular room from order to completion is about 6-12 months.
As stated, custom rectangular hyperbaric rooms provide many advantages over their cylindrical counterparts. From patient comfort to increased design flexibility, a hyperbaric room eliminates some of the operating issues that can be associated with cylindrical hyperbaric chambers. If you have any questions regarding rectangular hyperbaric rooms, or are interested in having one designed for your facility, feel free to call one of our experts today for more information.
