Successfully integrating laser therapy, particularly photobiomodulation, into your practice requires more than just purchasing equipment. Strategic integration into your treatment plans is essential for achieving rapid profitability and long-term success.
Successfully integrating laser therapy, particularly photobiomodulation, into your practice requires more than just purchasing equipment. Strategic integration into your treatment plans is essential for achieving rapid profitability and long-term success.Congratulations on purchasing your first (or second) laser for laser therapy! Regardless of manufacturer, power or wavelengths you chose, this laser needs to fit your practice style and be integrated immediately to ensure it does not become an expensive purchase that just sits on the shelf.
This article will cover seven different integrations you need to implement, including staff training, marketing, workflow, patient scheduling, patient education, documentation and risk management.
Laser basics
Lasers use photobiomodulation and have characteristics in common, whether they are low power or high power based upon their laser classification as shown in Table 1. Monochromatic (Figure 1): Production of a single color or wavelength by light source. Image shows all the colors of the spectrum simultaneously or is polychromatic. It is not desirable for a laser. The desired result is only one color or wavelength.
Collimated (Figure 2): State of being parallel, directional. The parallel lines in the middle demonstrate collimated light beams, while lines at angles on the right are not collimated.
Coherent (Figure 3): Property of identical phase and time relationship. Image on left is non-coherent while the one on the right is coherent.
A laser emits photons traveling in unison in a synchronized and directional manner. The coherent beam allows the energy to penetrate rather than deflect, reflect or scatter when it hits the skin. Furthermore, laser’s efficacy is not due to heat output. The New Laser Therapy Handbook explains, “Treatment with laser therapy is not based on heat development, but on photochemical and photobiological effects in cells and tissues.”
There are seven different integrations you need to complete to properly implement laser therapy in your practice.
#1. Integrate your laser into staff training
The biological effects of laser therapy occur provided a sufficient dose is delivered to the target tissue. The mechanism of action can be primary, secondary or tertiary. The key is training staff how to use the laser to achieve each patient’s treatment goals.
Staff who will utilize the laser should be trained in addition to the doctor(s) of chiropractic in the office. Make sure new staff can still be trained, at no additional cost to you, by the company that sold you the laser.
#2. Integrate laser into your marketing
Advertising
Make your advertising stand out so you do not look like every other laser provider.
Remember the words of John Wanamaker: “Half of my advertising does not work; I just do not know which half.”
In-office marketing
Patients will pass through your reception area or waiting area during each visit.
You can display messages in your treatment rooms or bays.
Use an LED message board by reception to allow you to scroll through short messages to alert patients about educational or treatment opportunities.
Networking
Your work may not often feel like business, but you are in the business of providing care; and like any businessperson, you need to network. People like to conduct business with people they know.
Meet your future patients and referral sources at Chamber of Commerce events (or while you are speaking at an event), local community events, regional carnivals/festivals and other venues.
Roll out online marketing
Your website
Many patients will shop for your services by visiting your website, so make sure to include information on your laser offerings there, and make sure it’s clear how to book an appointment.
You will not have the chance to engage with them in person or by phone, so everything they need to move from checking out your laser setup to requesting their appointment has to be right there on the website, easy to find and use.
Blog
Unlike advertising, your blog is free. Simply post the content on your website and it is live. Even 250-300 words plus an image is enough for a post.
You can write even less if you have a video to share. That great video can be added to your website as a link.
Ebook
Many patients or potential patients read books on smart devices. They’re already reading ebooks, so how can you get them to read your ebook?
Think you can’t write an ebook? Your content is mostly written already from your blog posts. Combine your blog posts and add some graphics to create one or more ebooks.
Offer the ebooks as downloads on your website in exchange for visitors’ contact information.
Text messaging
You can use text messaging to confirm appointments or create new appointments.
Consider how to fill open time on the schedule when a patient cancels or you just have an open block of time.
Text a special offer to your patients and provide them an incentive to fill the opening.
Feature online platforms
More than one billion people use Facebook.
If you are creating other content, such as blog posts, you can always post it on Facebook. You can write quick updates to share on Facebook as well.
YouTube
Think of YouTube as the home for all the videos your practice creates or uses, such as an office tour.
You can post them on YouTube and have them link to your blog posts, ebooks and website.
Review sites
Don’t forget to consider medically oriented review sites, such as ZocDoc, Health Grades and Wellness.com.
#3. Integrate laser into your workflow
I see many practices add their laser as a provider into their scheduling software if they have a dedicated room only used for laser treatments. If a patient is only in the office for laser and not an adjustment or other service, it makes sense to book them into your “laser room.”
#4. Integrate laser therapy into patient scheduling
Be efficient in scheduling blocks of time for lasers. Optimize your staff time by having limited down time between patients so you do not have chiropractic assistants running from room to room.
#5. Integrate lasers into patient education
Patients may be very apprehensive about trying laser therapy, or they may be ready to start immediately. In either case, you need to properly manage their expectations.
Many practitioners offer a complimentary laser therapy treatment session to take away the “fear factor” or the unknown. Patients can also see and feel the physical effects and positive clinical outcomes of laser therapy and make a more informed decision.
Educate your patients to know what to expect, such as:
- Approximate number of treatments (in acute vs. chronic conditions)
- Duration of each treatment
- Expected improvement of condition(s)
- Potential side effects
- Thermal effect (if any)
- Sounds the laser may make
- Working with staff (who operate the laser)
- Insurance vs. cash payment
#6. Integrate laser therapy into documentation
With electronic medical records now in widespread use, it is quite easy to write laser treatment templates that can be easily modified from patient to patient.
Be sure to document:
- Laser penetration
- How you are treating (i.e., technique and specific site of treatment)
- Effective dosage, including power level and duration of time
- Physiology and treatment goals
- Health/safety precautions taken
- Results of each treatment
#7. Integrate laser therapy into your risk management program
Laser therapy is extremely safe when basic protocols are followed by the laser operator and support staff. As with all therapeutic procedures, some element of risk is present through negligence or accident. These hazards are easily prevented or reduced with safety protocols for each application.
Every practice using a laser should have an individual trained in safe operation of laser therapy and regularly use a safety checklist. This individual (often the doctor) is designated the laser safety officer (LSO).
Checklist for the laser operator and laser safety officer
Add the checklist to your office standard operating procedures and require a signature signoff upon completion.
Post appropriate warning signs.
Keep access to the laser and treatment area secure and controlled.
Visually inspect and clean all optical connectors so they remain free of dirt, debris, etc.
Inspect the laser regularly for proper function.
Visually inspect and clean all safety goggles (Class 3b and Class 4).
Make sure enough pairs of goggles are available for all persons in the nominal hazard zone. Place extra goggles outside the laser treatment room if necessary.
Control any sources of potential laser beam reflection and scatter.
Establish a custom treatment protocol for each patient.
Have a familiar laser injury management protocol in place for accidental injury.
Document laser treatment itself and the post-treatment outcome.
Final thoughts
As chiropractic care evolves, you must continually seek innovative modalities to enhance patient outcomes. One such advancement is the integration of laser therapy, specifically photobiomodulation, into chiropractic treatment plans. Properly integrating laser therapy into your practice is key to a rapid, profitable start and ongoing success.
Rob Berman is a partner at Berman Partners LLC, a medical-device sales and marketing company. Berman Partners specializes in new and preowned therapeutic lasers. He helps doctors improve patient outcomes while increasing physician income. He can be contacted by phone at 860-707-4220 or via email at rob@bermanpartners.com.
References
- High power laser therapy. [Course]. Physiopedia. https://www.physio-pedia.com/High_Power_Laser_Therapy#cite_note-:02-1. Accessed November 14, 2025.
- Tuner J and Hode L. The New Laser Therapy Handbook. 2010;71. https://www.spectravet.com/LaserTherapyBooks/ . Accessed November 14, 2025.
- Martin RL, et al. The right way to build your brand. HBR. Jan-Feb 2024. https://www1.qa.hbr.org/2024/01/the-right-way-to-build-your-brand. Accessed November 14, 2025.
