|
In a somewhat dramatic turn of events Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center in Secaucus, New Jersey, canned plans to treat autism patients with HBO therapy. They went a step further and canned the individual who had championed this idea, the now former director of the hospital’s Neuroscience Center. The hospital’s Department of Health application to introduce hyperbaric medicine ran into strong opposition. This was particularly so when word got out regarding the autism issue. Off-label HBO, particularly involving those who largely base their entire practice in this way, rather than those who might occasionally use HBO for off-label indications, is commonly a non-hospital affiliated business. So, it came as something of a surprise when we initially learned of Meadowlands intent. Kudos to the Meadowlands Hospital for recognizing this use of HBO therapy to be experimental at best and that it should not be part of a fee for service therapy.
Critics of the hospital’s plan to treat autism in this way argued that it would offer families false hope while draining their bank accounts. They further argued that this same individual, a clinical psychologist, along with a neurologist used experiment treatments for coma and brain injury. These efforts resulted in payments of some $100,000.00 from some families without any indication of improved outcomes.
|
