Maui’s First Comprehensive Wound Care Clinic offers Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

A new outpatient facility, Maui Memorial Medical Center Wound Care and Hyperbaric Therapy, has opened, offering a comprehensive approach for patients with non-healing wounds, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy or HBO. The clinic features two state-of-the-art medical-grade HBO chambers, which are among only five in the entire state of Hawaiʻi.

The clinic, which has been open for patient consultations since its soft opening in mid-November 2022, celebrated its official opening this week on Wednesday, Jan. 31, with a reception and ribbon cutting ceremony.

The reception was also held to honor and thank the leaders of Hawaiʻi Medical Service Association for their $1 million dollar donation in support of this service.

“We are incredibly grateful to HMSA for their commitment to Maui County, and to ensuring we have these critical services available for our community,” said Mike Rembis, Maui Health CEO. “With our new state-of-the-art equipment and advanced wound care, patients no longer need to travel off island for treatment, avoiding unnecessary travel time and costs, and stay close to home – near their loved ones, which is so important for healing.”

“The people of Maui will greatly benefit from this new facility, which is aligned with HMSA’s purpose to improve the lives of our members and the health of Hawaiʻi,” said HMSA President and CEO Mark M. Mugiishi, M.D., F.A.C.S. “This much-needed clinic will solve life-altering problems and give patients the quality care they deserve, in an affordable outpatient setting.”

Also in attendance was Mayor Richard T. Bissen, Jr., who toured the facility with Maui Health leadership and clinic team members and learned more about the clinic’s hyperbaric oxygen chambers.

“The facility, specialized state-of-the-art equipment, and exceptional staff was impressive to see,” said Mayor Bissen. “Our community will greatly benefit from the clinic and its service. Because of what is now available, patients can receive care with their loved ones nearby, an important factor in helping people heal better and commit to the comprehensive service, and the medical care they are providing can ultimately save lives.”

Maui Memorial Medical Center Wound Care and Hyperbaric Therapy provides a comprehensive approach to treating patients with non-healing wounds.

“The highly skilled team features physicians, nurses, and technicians with advanced training in wound care and HBO, which promotes healing by increasing the level of oxygen in the tissue and improving the healing efficiency of the white blood cells,” according to a news release.

HBO therapy is administered in a hyperbaric chamber that delivers 100% oxygen with increased atmospheric pressure, stimulating the entire body’s natural healing responses, according to Maui Health.

Patients who are prescribed HBO typically require treatment five days a week for two-hour sessions.

The individual chambers are equipped with televisions and speakers for entertainment. The chambers also include a two-way phone system for patients to communicate with the HBO technician, who supervises the patient from outside the chamber for the entire duration of the treatment.

“Especially beneficial for diabetic patients with nonhealing ulcers, as well as those with arterial ulcers and other types of wounds that fail to respond to conservative therapy, HBO is also a treatment for conditions without open wounds, such as osteomyelitis, radionecrosis and osteoradionecrosis,” according to the news release.

“Our dedicated clinical staff understands the totality of the patient from a perspective of wound healing,” said Wound Care Program Director Jessica Acop, RN. “We are working to treat not only the wound, but the underlying cause of the wound, and the patient as a whole.”

Maui Memorial Medical Center Wound Care and Hyperbaric Therapy is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Referring physicians and patients may call the clinic directly to schedule a consultation.

For more information about wound care or to schedule an appointment, call 808-986-4500 or visit mauihealth.org/woundcare.