POCATELLO - The staff at Idaho Hyperbarics has decided to make the most of an apparent prank somebody pulled at their expense.

Jeff Hampsten, owner of Idaho Hyperbarics, 1125 W. Alameda Road, said a friend called him Thursday expressing concern about an advertisement he'd read in the Thrifty Nickel.

"I didn't even know you guys were in trouble," the friend said.

Hampsten was shocked when he saw an advertisement on page 2 of the publication indicating his medical facility was hosting a going-out-of-business sale this morning.

The advertisement read: "Business closing. Auction. Lost contract with hospital. Everything must go. Opens at 8 a.m. Auction starts at 10 a.m."

Though Hampsten said Idaho Hyperbarics is doing well and has no plans for an auction, he and his staff have decided to show up at the time stated in the Thrifty Nickel anyway to prepare breakfast for anyone who shows up for the fraudulent liquidation sale.

"We'll have some tours. All the staff will be here to show them the facility and talk about what we do so their time won't be wasted," Hampsten said.

Hampsten said he called the Thrifty Nickel to find out who placed the advertisement and he was told the buyer had identified himself as Jeff Hampsten - and paid cash. He doesn't have any clue who really bought the advertisement and plans to file a report with police.

"It doesn't make any since to me. This doesn't even compute. I just think it's silly," Hampsten said.

The reference in the advertisement to losing a contract with the hospital relates to the recent splitting of Idaho Hyperbarics with Portneuf Medical Center on Jan. 22. Hampsten said the partnership was dissolved due to billing differences.

Hyperbaric chambers speed the body's natural healing processes by saturating tissues with oxygen under pressure.