Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society Annual Scientific Meeting
Wyndham Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf and Beach Resort June, 2019
Each year the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) holds an international scientific meeting to provide a forum for professional scientific growth and to improve the knowledge and competence of hyperbaric medicine providers in order to improve patient outcomes.
The meeting provides a basis for exchange of ideas, both scientific and practical for physicians, researchers, and other health care professionals. The UHMS Annual Scientific Meeting consists of abstracts, poster presentations, plenary sessions, and social events. The Annual Scientific Meeting affords an opportunity for participants to meet and interact with past and present leaders of the UHMS and to become more active in Society affairs.
Kaye Moseley, WoundCentrics Director of Compliance and Regulatory Reimbursement and an active board member of the UHMS attended this year’s meeting in Puerto Rico. The meeting provided valuable information on topics such as the accepted uses of hyperbaric oxygen in clinical and diving medicine, critique of current decompression schedules and the development of safer protocols, pathophysiology and treatment of toxic and anoxic disorders in which hyperbaric oxygen is used either as he primary or as an adjunctive modality. Participants were also introduced to new diagnostic, research or therapeutic techniques and equipment pertaining to hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
In addition to the main scientific lecture sessions, the Associate Members of the UHMS (Non-physician) held a one-day breakout session with lectures and poster presentations geared more toward hyperbaric operations. These lectures covered topics such as new mechanical ventilator technology for use with multi and mono-place chambers, infection control practices, patient education, facility accreditation, The Joint Commission updates and probes, CMS and third party payer requirements for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, biological skin substitutes, and debridements. At the end of the Breakout session Kaye led a Round Table discussion on Compliance, Reimbursement and Preparation for a CMS Target, Probe and Educate audit of HBOT.
Across the country, the hyperbaric industry is experiencing a decrease in the number of treatments provided and the negative financial impact of CMS and third party payers’ control over payment for HBOT. Unfortunately, the impact on our patients in need of the therapy is far greater. As an active board member of UHMS, Kaye is able to keep WoundCentrics’ partners abreast of actual and planned regulatory changes to minimize the clinical and operational impact on their wound clincs.
Everyone who attended the meeting agreed, compliance with the local MAC’s LCD and adhering to the clinical documentation requirements are critical to ensure we can continue to offer Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy to patients. Through education and legitimate clinical research, the UHMS continues the quest for approval of new HBOT indications while trying to maintain our current indications.
Kaye, through her participation in UHMS, continues to support WoundCentrics and its partners in advocacy for hyperbaric medicine’s utility and efficacy.
Kaye Moseley
WoundCentrics Director of Compliance and Regulatory Reimbursement
Associate Representative, UHMS Board of Directors
UHMS Finance Committee Member
President-Elect Gulf Coast Chapter of the UHMS