- Final determination by a hyperbaric physician
- We confirm at your consultation
For Patients
Am I Eligible for HBOT?
Eligibility for HBOT at Evolve depends on three things: your medical condition, your overall health, and (for OHIP coverage) the specific clinical criteria that apply to your indication. The final determination is made by one of our hyperbaric physicians at the consultation visit, but this page gives you a sense of who is — and is not — typically a candidate.
Does your condition match an indication we treat?
OHIP-covered indications we treat
OHIP covers HBOT for the 9 conditions listed at our OHIP-covered conditions page. Each has specific clinical criteria. For example, OHIP coverage for diabetic foot ulcers is based on Ontario clinical criteria (wound depth, exposed deep tissue or bone, established infection, prior duration of standard care, and adequate or corrected arterial perfusion); OHIP coverage for AVN typically requires MRI confirmation; ISSNHL must be within the therapeutic window. We confirm eligibility at your consultation.
Off-label (private-pay)
Some additional indications fall outside OHIP but have a defensible evidence base. We list them at our off-label indications page. These require a private-pay consultation and an honest discussion of the evidence.
Conditions we do not treat
We do not offer HBOT for general wellness, athletic performance enhancement in healthy individuals, or any indication without a defensible scientific rationale.
Do you have any conditions that make HBOT unsafe?
Absolute contraindications
In a small number of situations, HBOT cannot be safely given:
- Untreated pneumothorax (collapsed lung) — this is the only universally agreed absolute contraindication
- Current treatment with certain chemotherapy agents (e.g., bleomycin, doxorubicin in some protocols, cisplatin) — your hyperbaric physician will review your specific regimen
- Certain very rare conditions — your physician will screen at consultation
Relative contraindications (require careful assessment)
- Severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, particularly with significant air-trapping or bullae
- Uncontrolled seizure disorder
- Severe claustrophobia (often manageable with strategies and chamber familiarization)
- Recent ear or sinus surgery
- Active upper respiratory tract infection or significant sinus congestion (treatment usually deferred, not cancelled)
- Pregnancy (case-by-case — requires careful assessment with your hyperbaric physician and obstetric team)
- Cardiac pacemakers and implantable devices — must be verified compatible with our chamber pressure; we maintain a list of compatible devices
- Insulin-requiring diabetes (manageable with careful glucose monitoring and timing of insulin around sessions)
Are you well enough to attend daily outpatient sessions?
Evolve operates outpatient monoplace chambers. You need to be able to travel to and from the clinic, lie comfortably in the chamber for 60 to 90 minutes, and tolerate the practical demands of a daily Monday-through-Friday treatment schedule for several weeks. Patients who are critically ill or require continuous ICU-level monitoring are generally better served at a multiplace tertiary hospital chamber rather than an outpatient setting.
How to find out for certain
The only way to know with certainty whether HBOT is right for you is to be assessed by a hyperbaric physician. Submit a Check Eligibility request, or ask your physician for a referral, and we will arrange a consultation.
Medical review
Dr. Vik Agarwal MD CCFP FRCPC CAQ-HP — President, Evolve Medical Group
Dr. Seema Agarwal MD CCFP CAQ-HP — Chief Medical Officer, Evolve Hyperbarics
Last reviewed: May 2026 · Next: May 2027
Get Started
Find Out if You Qualify
Call 1-888-851-4268 to speak with a care coordinator, or use the eligibility form to start the
conversation. We typically respond within one business day.