Key elements to educate the new patient in regard to the low-level laser are:

• FDA clearance certifies the laser is safe and effective. The doctor must confirm that their low-level laser is FDA cleared.
• This ISO manufacturing certification guarantees that every low-level laser is manufactured to the highest manufacturing standard available. The doctor must confirm the low-level laser they have is ISO certified, as not all low-level lasers are.
• The low-level laser can be used to reduce pain, restore posture and improve movement by improving tissue structure and function from removing nervous system and structural interference.
• A laser treatment lasts between 30 seconds and 5 minutes, depending on the clinical condition.
• The number of treatments to meet clinical goals is determined by the patient condition and response to care.

An example of a conversation with a patient about the low-level laser: "We'll be using the FDA-cleared, safe and effective low-level laser to reduce your pain by placing one of the laser heads on your chief complaint and the other head on the nerve roots to facilitate your recovery. The number of treatments you'll require is dependent on your condition, compliance and how fast your body responds to care."

Position the laser as the ultimate pro-active wellness modality as it can be used to identify and correct hidden muscle inhibition that can cause needless injury and lack of performance. Present it as a drugless, natural, method of pain reduction which limits the risk of learning faulty movement patterns from pain-avoidance based gate.

What is the percentage of patients who should be using this product/service in an average practic? In my opinion, 100% of patients are candidates for care. I have used the low-level laser in practice for 10 years and I have never had a patient that does not need improvement in tissue structure and function and better communication between the tissues, cells and nervous system. Also, one of the best aspects to low-level laser use is that all techniques used with them can be done quickly, as I use the laser in less than two or three minutes.

Communicate with Your Staff

Important considerations in using the low-level laser to be communicated to the staff include:

• FDA cleared low-level lasers are safe and effective.
• Treatment takes 2 seconds to 5 minutes, depending on the condition.
• Low-level laser enhances the benefits of all other techniques and methods used in an office visit.
• The low-level laser provides health benefits other modalities do not offer, but in combination with other modalities, will enhance the benefits of those modalities.
• Patient will not feel the low-level laser light because the laser doesn't generate enough power to cause thermal heating of tissues or cell vibration.
• The low-level laser light works through clothing because each second the laser emits 45 billion photons, enough of which get through the clothing to create a therapeutic effect.
• Number of treatments is determined by patient condition as determined by the doctor.

Effective ways to promote the low-level laser to patients and create more time for the doctor to treat patients is to place educational low-level laser posters in the reception and treatment rooms, have staff show all new patients a short low-level laser patient education video before their first visit, and provide each patient with an 8 x 11 handout at their ROF of the most frequently asked questions about the low-level laser.

Practice Benefits

The laser company whose low-level laser I use has determined through their doctor statistics that the use of their low-level laser has increased revenues by 17%.

Another aspect to this, in addition to the laser fees for service, is that many new patients are generated because of the consistently superior clinical outcomes the low-level laser affords and also, the doctor confidence it provides as it gives the doctor immediate clinical feedback which helps the accuracy in clinical decision making about patient care.

How does the product/service attract new patients to the practice? Key elements to low-level laser use that generates new patients are:

• New techniques conveys to patient the doctor is up to date on new advances in care, not just applying techniques that may have become obsolete.
• Low-level laser can produce immediate improvement in energy efficient, strain free movement which is almost magic to the patient. I can confidently say, personally, that in less than one minute I can change how a person moves for the better.
• In terms of restoring better body tensegrity, I've not found a modality or technique that does it faster than the low-level laser.
• The low-level laser improves the outcomes of all other techniques and modalities, but does not take the place of the great techniques we already use. Patient recovery time is less with the addition of low-level laser therapy.

In today's rapidly and dramatically changing world, the rules that govern past success are no guarantee of current or future success. The most successful doctors are those whose clinical skills match their communication and management skills. A key to practice viability is becoming more efficient with office visits by having the techniques and tools to get more done in less time to generate more time to see more patients. To achieve that requires having best tools to get the good done and support adjusting techniques. In my experience, my most important modality to achieve those goals and maintain a strong clinical model is the low-level laser because it can create health and healing in significant less time than many other modalities and the science behind it impressive results are well documented.

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Dr. Jeff Spencer graduated from Cleveland Chiropractic College Los Angeles and has a master’s degree in physical education. He treated cyclist Lance Armstrong before, during and after all seven of his Tour de France victories, helped Armstrong’s former team to its eighth Tour victory in 2007, and has also worked with numerous professional athletes, including Olympic and world champions. Dr. Spencer can be contacted at .