Doctors certified in undersea and hyperbaric medicine are specially trained to prevent and treat diving and excess pressure accidents as well as in the provision of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), which is used in the case of decompression accidents but also for other conditions. Knowledge of the particular conditions that the body is subjected to while diving or when under excess pressure and the possible resulting effects and complications requires appropriately specialised training.
Doctors with training in undersea and hyperbaric medicine conduct evaluations and clarifications on professional and recreational divers as well as on people who are exposed to excess pressure through their work.
They are responsible for the emergency treatment of diving accidents and providing hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which is a highly specialised treatment carried out in special chambers in appropriately equipped hospitals. It is used in the case of diving accidents but also for conditions such as gas embolism, carbon monoxide poisoning or for wound healing disorders.
Training in undersea and hyperbaric medicine is available to doctors of all fields and is overseen by the Swiss Underwater and Hyperbaric Medical Society SUHMS.