New Association

[Guest guest]

Below you will find the latest email I have received from Kenneth

Locklear, acting CEO of the new International Hyperbaric Medical

Association (IHMA). I would like to express very strongly that I feel

with Ken at the helm, this can be a very strong association, which

will advocate for hyperbarics to be available to everyone who would

benefit. As a new association, it is important to have someone with

the drive and commitment to undertake such a venture. If anything

would change that Ken was no longer the main organizer, I would

withdraw my support unless I absolutely knew the person taking his

place had that same honesty and dedication. Let me make it clear that

Ken and I have never met face to face, so my support of him as the CEO

is strictly based on past business dealings, as well as the things I

have heard from other business acquaintances and friends. I have no

doubt that he has the knowledge and the integrity to handle this vast

undertaking.

 

On the part about an MD as a Medical Director, this has been discussed

at length. Ken and I both agree that it will be a good move to allow

a free standing clinic who only treats neurological and otherwise safe

and non invasive conditions to have an MD as a Medical Director but

not require them to be on Premise. They will receive training in

Hyperbarics and will check all clients before they are allowed to

begin treatments. This will insure that someone with good medical

and hyperbaric knowledge will check all patients and make certain

there are no contra-indications or questions that would keep the

patient from have safe hyperbaric treatments. Although this may

cause some additional costs for us at Miracle Mountain, it should

allow us to keep our costs at a minimum for those who cannot afford to

go elsewhere. We have plenty of time to arrange this and it will not

affect our present operations. I feel good about this and it is

using good common sense and it is also assuring the Medical Community

at large that HBOT is, and will remain to be, a safe and effective

procedure.

 

Now it is time for every individual on these lists, whether you need

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy or not, to get behind this new association

so that we will have representation to advocate for proper coverage by

insurance, HDO's and Medicaid of all conditions which will benefit

from HBOT. There are presently 13 of those conditions recognized by

the FDA and there are close to 100 that have proven to benefit from

HBOT. The new IHMA will advocate for these conditions, especially

Neurological, to become accepted also.

 

We must join together, work together, pray together, and take a stand

by joining forces and the IHMA is the perfect catalyst for us to work

together to make things happen. If you suffer from Fibromyalgia, CP,

any type of Brain Damage, CFS, RSD, Lymes, and the list goes on, I

encourage you to join forces with us to get this monumental task

underway.

 

Manufacturers, Doctors, HBOT providers, Professionals from all walks

of life, as well as individuals, the new IHMA is going to need

sponsors. There will be bills to be paid, they will need a staff to

do work, office space, etc. It will cost money. I hope that you do

not need to be reminded to make contributions to get this organization

off the ground. This was not discussed with Ken, but I know that

this will be needed. Anyone that can help needs to get out their

checkbook.

 

We will only get one chance to make this happen. AND THIS IS IT! So

those of you who have been griping because HBOT is not available to

you, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE! Those of you who can afford it but would

much rather see your insurance pay for it, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE! Those

of you who do not want to travel across several states for hbot and

would like to see it in your area, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE! Those of you

who would like to see HBOT available to your parents, your uncles and

aunts, all your loved ones, within 2 hours of the stroke they may

have, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE!

 

Read the letter from Ken below, and if you are not convince that this

is our big chance, I am afraid you are one of those " doubting

Thomas's " who will never be convinced. Either that, or you are a

member of the present UHMS and want things to stay just as they are.

It ain't agonna happen. We are going to make changes. We now have an

association who will represent the parents and everyone who has a

right to make a choice for HBOT for themselves or their loved ones.

If those in the UHMS want to join forces, that is great! I know

there are several members of the UHMS that would like to see this

happen and will join to make it happen. The UHMS can specialize in

these 13 conditions and the IHMA will work on the others. This way we

are all winners!

 

Ken's letter:

Dear Robert,

Thank you very much for taking the time to address your concerns about

the

formation of the IHMA with me. As I pointed out on the phone, any one

having

concerns should be the ones joining to bring about a balanced view.

Work

from the inside out not the outside in.

 

To address your letter I would like to make everyone aware that this

is an

elected association and those that vote make the decisions. The ones

elected

just do as they are instructed by the membership. So frankly I am

appealing

to everyone to ban together and put me to work on the issues that will

further the availability of HBOT.

 

To make sure this association gets off on the right foot I want to

make a few

things very clear. There will be checks and balances to make sure

that we

stay on a steady course. I foresee the Executive committee being

comprised

of a balanced group of individuals representing several different

viewpoints.

I see the board being made up of chamber manufacturers, engineers,

facility

owners, physicians, parents, business persons, patients etc. A group

that

keeps each other in check with votes. If anyone interest group tries

to take

over there will be the others to keep them on track. That is why it

will be

balanced.

 

If you don't join and participate, you have no voice and therefore

have no

right to complain. Take your energies and focus them on making HBOT a

professionally accepted form of therapy that can be made available to

all

that need it. Everyone will need to keep the " big picture " in mind.

If an

executive decision means a little harm for one part of the industry

but

overall good for the rest, then we will do what we have to do.

 

As I told You Robert, I am also willing to close my doors and stop

publishing

HMT if that is what is needed to grow our field. That is the kind of

dedication we need from all participants on this. If anyone is not

willing

or able to make that kind of sacrifice for the better good of the

cause then

they need to step down and reassess their position.

 

In short I feel that this association should be able to at all times

pass the

approval of the consumer. If it is working for the consumer then we

are

doing our job, if not, then we aren't doing our job.

 

Anyone that has ever had an issue about our field should join to

rectify

their complaints. Only by working together can we bring about

positive

change.

 

I am very excited about having the opportunity to lead this

organization and

look forward to hearing from all of you once we get started.

 

Sincerely,

 

Ken Locklear