Interview with Don Webber, VP Biomedical Systems at Environmental Tectonic Corporation (ETC)

Today's Wound Clinic recently had the opportunity to speak with Don Webber, VP Biomedical Systems at Environmental Tectonic Corporation (ETC). Enjoy this brief Q&A and find out more information by visiting https://etcusa.com/

Today's Wound Clinic (TWC): What is your name and title and how long have you been an employee of Environmental Tectonics Corporation (ETC)?
Don Webber (DW): Don Webber, VP Biomedical Systems. Close to 3 years.

TWC: Where is your company located and how long have you been making hyperbaric products for the healthcare industry?
DW: We are located in Southampton, PA, just outside Philadelphia. Since our founding in 1969 we have been a technology leader in the development, design and manufacturer of hyperbaric systems for both civil and military organizations around the world. We launched the manufacturing clinical hyperbaric chambers in 1987.

TWC: Briefly describe your role with ETC.
DW: I joined the ETC Biomedical team in 2007 as a regional sales manager. I was instrumental in advancing the growth of sales and quickly became our top producer where I helped to expand our sales among management groups and hospital corporations. In 2009 I was promoted to Vice President of Biomedical Sales and just recently assumed the position of VP of Biomedical System. In my current role I manage and oversee the Biomedical Systems division.

TWC: Please describe your computer-based automatic operation and its role in your hyperbaric chambers.
DW: The BARA-MED® series of monoplace hyperbaric chambers are unique in that it has two independent, fully redundant chamber control systems. The computer-controlled system capable of automatic operation, serves as the primary method of operating the chamber, and the manual pneumatic system serves as backup.

The computer operating system used in our chambers provides intuitive, easy-to-use, automated chamber control with provision for semi-automatic operator override of each treatment process. The ETC proprietary software provides reproducible and customer customized treatment protocols with electronic recordkeeping. The user interface is composed of a flat panel display with touch screen activation which allows for effortless control of chamber ventilation if necessary during the pressurization and hold phases of treatments. With this computer operation it gives the ability to run on extremely low ventilation rates, thereby reducing oxygen consumption by nearly 75%.

TWC: Please tell our audience what the SMOOTH-Ride pressure-change technology; for compression and decompression is and why this benefits patients using your products.
DW: It is well established that the most common problem for patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is difficulty in equalizing the pressure in their middle ears during the compression phase of a treatment. If not dealt with properly, this pressure imbalance can ultimately produce physical injury (i.e., barotrauma). Not surprisingly, some patients reject further treatments when suffering the pain and discomfort that precedes barotrauma. And, even when an ear squeeze is properly managed manually, the time required to do this can have significant adverse impact on HBOT schedules.

In 2003, ETC launched SMOOTH.RIDE™, a pressure-change technology to significantly reduce the incidence of middle ear barotrauma during compression, and to more effectively manage patients with COPD during decompression. SMOOTH.RIDE was designed subsequent to research conducted by the U.S. Air Force on curvilinear profiles showing that incorporating SMOOTH•RIDE technology reduces the incidence of barotrauma by approximately 67%. The result is based on the same on curvilinear profiles physical principles, make decompression safer for patients with COPD, emphysema, and asthma.

TWC: Your company claims to be the first to produce a gurney undercarriage storage unit for optimized space usage. Can you explain what this breakthrough means for Hyperbaric Chambers in the wound care clinic setting?
DW: In ETC’s eyes this is a great breakthrough for hospital and clinics alike where the floor space is at a premium. We hear people refer to the areas where the gurneys are normally stored as the “gurney farms”. This “gurney farm” consumes valuable real estate located in each facility.

With our new undercarriage storage unit, the gurney is safely and snugly stored under the hyperbaric chamber during each HBOT treatment and at the end of the day allocating the premium floor space previously used for gurney storage to other more profitable applications.

TWC: A clinician was quoted in the April issue of Today’s Wound Clinic stating that when the clinician was doing research for rectangular hyperbaric chambers, that another company was the only company producing these types of chambers at the time. TWC recently discovered that Environmental Tectonics Corporation was also making rectangular chambers at the time. Please tell us when ETC started producing these types of chambers and how clinicians can get more information on these products.
DW: ETC manufactured their 1st rectangular multiplace chamber in 1971. ETC Rectangular Multiplace Hyperbaric Chambers are designed to treat patients to an atmosphere of 3 ATA to provide safe and effective clinical hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). Our rectangular multiplace hyperbaric chambers, including all subsystems, components, and ancillary support systems, are designed to meet or exceed stringent hyperbaric engineering design and fabrication standards for health care facilities as required by ASME PVHO-1 and the National Fire Protection Association standards for healthcare facilities (NFPA 99, Chapter 20).

The ETC Models 6/2/3R and 12/2/3R are designed as 3 ATA chamber systems to provide safe and effective clinical hyperbaric oxygen therapy. As with all our multiplace chambers they can be designed to custom sizes and configurations

TWC: What is the best way for a clinician who is interested in your products to get more information?
DW: You may contact Ann McMaster, our Sales and Marketing Coordinator at (267) 989-1278 or amcmaster@etcusa.com. She will then direct you to your appropriate sales representative.