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This message was left on the voice mail of our Wound Clinic Program Director. I’ve cut out any patient identifiers and the name of the payer. She’s providing a list of the documentation needed for her to authorize hyperbaric oxygen therapy:
[regarding patient redacted] . . .

I need to have clinical records documenting chronic refractory osteomyelitis that is unresponsive to conventional medial and surgical management –

  • Including a 6-week course of parenteral antibiotics and at least one surgical debridement, unless it is contraindicated…
  • With photographs with a ruler, PLUS…
  • X-ray bone cultures documenting diagnosis, AND ALSO…
  • Documentation of non-healing, infected deep ulceration that is a Wagner Grade 3 or more of the lower extremity WITH the photographs with the ruler documentation…
  • In diabetic adults unresponsive to one month of meticulous wound care, [AND]…
  • Assessment of the vascular status, AND…
  • Correction of any vascular problems in the affected limb.

If you could please fax that to  . . . .”

Don’t take my word for it – listen for yourself!