Medically reviewed by Uri Gedalia, MD, FACS
Chief Medical Officer, TrufaMED Urgent Care & Concierge Medicine
Board-Certified, General Surgery
Last reviewed: July 2026
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has moved from niche specialty into mainstream wellness over the last decade. Miami now has substantially more HBOT capacity than it did even five years ago, with operators ranging from hospital-based hyperbaric centers to wellness-focused clinics to dedicated single-service facilities.
This is the framework for choosing an HBOT program in Miami. Patients should expect their HBOT provider to answer these questions clearly before booking the first session.
Question 1: Who Reviews Your Indication?
Every HBOT plan should start with a physician evaluation. The patient’s clinical history, indication, medications, and contraindications matter. Standard pressure and duration for one indication may not be appropriate for another. A program that books sessions without first establishing the medical reason and reviewing the clinical history is operating below the standard.
At TrufaMED, every HBOT patient is evaluated by Dr. Gedalia or Dr. Naidoo before the first dive. The plan is tailored to the indication, not delivered as a one-size package.
Question 2: What Pressure Is Appropriate For Your Indication?
HBOT chambers operate at pressures expressed in atmospheres absolute (ATA). Sea level is 1.0 ATA. Common HBOT pressures:
- 1.3 to 1.5 ATA: mild HBOT, wellness and recovery applications, longevity-focused use
- 1.5 to 2.0 ATA: post-surgical recovery, soft-tissue healing, concussion, long COVID workup
- 2.0 to 2.4 ATA: chronic wound care, radiation injury, more involved clinical indications
- 2.4 to 3.0 ATA: certain emergency indications, decompression illness (typically hospital-only)
Your indication determines appropriate pressure. A program that delivers everyone the same pressure regardless of indication is using a default rather than a clinical decision.
Question 3: Chamber Type
Two main chamber categories:
- Hard-shell medical-grade chambers — FDA-cleared, capable of higher pressures (typically up to 3.0 ATA), with controlled oxygen delivery via mask or hood, full vital signs monitoring, and certified for medical use
- Soft-shell mild HBOT chambers — lower pressure (1.3 ATA typical), generally cleared for over-the-counter use at altitude rather than as medical devices, lower oxygen concentration
Both have appropriate uses. Soft-shell chambers are reasonable for mild wellness applications. Medical-grade hard-shell chambers are required for most clinical indications and for the pressures most published HBOT research uses.
TrufaMED uses a medical-grade monoplace chamber rated for FDA-cleared treatment pressures.
Question 4: Session Duration And Frequency
Most clinical HBOT protocols run 60 to 90 minutes per session. Frequency is indication-dependent:
- Acute recovery (post-injury, post-surgery, acute concussion): 3 to 5 sessions per week for 2 to 4 weeks
- Longer protocols (long COVID, persistent post-concussion syndrome): 3 to 5 sessions per week for 8 to 12 weeks
- Maintenance and wellness: 1 to 2 sessions per week
A program offering 20-minute sessions or one-session-per-week protocols for clinical indications is below typical evidence-based dosing.
Question 5: Integration With Broader Medical Care
HBOT often integrates with other medical needs. Post-surgical recovery patients benefit from coordinated IV therapy. Long COVID patients benefit from lab workup, sleep evaluation, and autonomic testing. Concussion patients benefit from neurology and vestibular therapy coordination.
Stand-alone HBOT centers handle the chamber well but refer the rest of the care out. Integrated practices handle the chamber and the related medical care under one roof. For most patients with a specific clinical indication, integration is the more useful model. For patients who only need HBOT and have all their other care established elsewhere, stand-alone is fine.
Question 6: Insurance And Pricing
HBOT insurance coverage is binary by indication:
- FDA-approved indications (severe radiation injury, chronic non-healing wounds with specific criteria, certain bone infections, decompression illness, certain other specific conditions): often covered by Medicare and major insurers, requires extensive documentation
- Off-label and wellness indications (athletic recovery, concussion, long COVID, autism support, anti-aging, post-surgical recovery without FDA criteria): generally not covered; out-of-pocket
Single-session HBOT pricing in Miami broadly runs $150 to $350. Package pricing (10-pack, 20-pack, 40-pack) brings per-session cost down meaningfully. Compare pricing directly. We publish ours.
Question 7: Contraindication Screening
HBOT has real contraindications. The provider should screen at intake:
- Untreated pneumothorax (absolute contraindication)
- Certain ear conditions (some require management before HBOT)
- Specific medications (some chemotherapeutic agents, certain others)
- Severe claustrophobia
- Active middle ear infection
- Recent eye surgery
- Active asthma exacerbation
- Pregnancy (relative; case-by-case)
A program that does not screen before the first session is operating below the safety standard.
The TrufaMED HBOT Program
Our HBOT program is built around medical-grade monoplace chamber capability, physician evaluation before every patient’s first session, individualized pressure and duration based on indication, integration with our IV therapy and concierge programs, contraindication screening at intake, and published pricing for single-session and package options.
This is the standard we believe HBOT patients should be able to assume from any Miami provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a typical HBOT course?
Highly indication-dependent. Recovery: 5 to 10 sessions. Concussion / long COVID: 30 to 40 sessions. Wellness: ongoing at lower cadence.
Will insurance cover HBOT?
For FDA-approved indications, sometimes. For wellness, athletic recovery, concussion, and off-label use, generally no.
Is the chamber claustrophobic?
Monoplace chambers are enclosed but transparent and well-lit. Two-way communication with staff during the dive. Most patients tolerate well; we discuss in advance if claustrophobia is a concern.
Can HBOT be combined with IV therapy?
Yes — we sequence them in single visits for many post-surgical recovery patients. Order matters; we plan it clinically.