If you've been here with us on the podcast or on this blog, you have heard me talk a lot about:
the evidence behind laser therapy
how well it can work
how many treatments it might take
what type of laser is good
how to find good and effective laser therapy care
But, what about the cost? Patients are hearing more about laser therapy, and they will want to know: how much does a laser treatment cost? What's your answer?
How much should you charge for a light therapy treatment session?
Obviously, the first step for you as a laser therapy provider is to set your prices. To do this you need to determine your costs, your treatment value, your ROI calculations, and more. We have the only complete and personalized ROI calculator so that you can get accurate pricing. I'll come back to that at the end of this blog article.
Even if you already have your pricing set up, be cautious about handing out your laser therapy prices over the phone and on your website.
Why?
Laser therapy value
Most patients don't understand the value of a laser treatment. They don't know how many sessions they need, what the goals could be, or the cumulative effect of multiple treatments. Patients will inevitably compare a laser treatment price to the price of another service they're familiar with, like acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, or soft tissue mobilization. The problem here is that laser treatment is completely different that those other modalities. Some conditions can be resolved with only a couple of sessions while other conditions could need dozens of sessions for maximum effect, even the frequency of sessions can be vastly different. Patients new to photobiomodulation won't understand that until you explain the process to them. Quoting prices without context is a sure recipe for less conversion from a lead to a patient under care.
For example, if I tell you that a perflufkin is $100, you have no idea what that means. What is a perflufkin? Why do I need it? How many do I need? Is that a good price? There are so many questions! Now if I tell you what that item is, how it can benefit you, and how many you need, then you'll be able to make an informed decision. That's what you want your patients to do, right? If a patient is looking to invest wisely in their health, they are going to use this uninformed pricing view to compare laser treatment in your clinic with any other options they may be considering.
The laser therapy report of findings
You need to enable your patients to make informed decisions because they will be more likely to choose the best options, follow through with your treatment plan, and have a good outcome. They'll also have a better experience and will be more likely to refer their friends and family to your clinic.
When presenting price information within a treatment plan, remind the patient that their investment in their health is truly that...an investment. Every health condition costs the patient in monetary and non-monetary ways. Remind them that:
There are hidden costs
There are time costs
There are costs in activity
Cutting back work hours has an obvious monetary cost. What about being unable to carry a new grandchild? That's a hidden activity cost. What about missing out on a ski trip or a hike? Or spending time doing ice packs? All these costs will be saved once proper treatment has been successful.
Even a "minor" condition - say a mild case of neuropathy that affects balance - can have huge costs. What if the patient loses their balance and falls, only to dislocate the shoulder or fracture the hip? Help your patients prevent future costs by getting them to invest in their health now! In the end this will save money.
Laser therapy saves money
I have a couple of quotes for you. This first quote is from an article published in 2016 in the Journal of Photomedicine and Laser Surgery. The article is titled: "Quantum Leap" in Photobiomodulation Therapy (light therapy) Ushers in a New Generation of Light-Based Treatments for Cancer and Other Complex Diseases: Perspective and Mini-Review. In this review, they say that "it is time to begin considering light therapy as a potential drug equivalent. In addition, light therapy may have minimal to no adverse effects, improve quality of life and functional status, and raise the current standard of care." They say that light therapy "can also offer a non-invasive and cost-effective therapeutic option for patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's. Further, light therapies will preserve quality of life and raise standard of care in an efficient and economical manner."
I'll also give you a quote from a guest editorial published recently by Dr. Jan Tuner in Photobiomodulation, Photomedicine, and Laser Surgery. He states that the use of laser therapy in ambulatory medical care seems to offer a considerable reduction of public tax spending. When he says this, he is talking about public programs like Medicare. As a matter of fact, in this editorial, Dr. Tuner goes on to say that there is somewhere between 30% and 86% of savings for some conditions treated with light therapy. That is a big deal when you consider the total picture of how much patients have to spend on medications, doctor visits, and therapies that they have to go to. When you include light therapy and laser therapy for these conditions, it brings down the cost of care.
How much does laser therapy cost?
What is the national average price for laser therapy treatments? For most clinics, you'll find charges between $50 and $150 per session, along with discounts for pre-paying or self-pay. This type of pricing seems to work fairly well. Remember, you HAVE to charge enough to keep your lights on and ensure a good return on investment! If patients balk at the cost (and some always will, even if it's free), remind them that of the other costs that may be happening when a condition isn't resolved:
the cost of continuing to miss out on activities
the cost of not working/reducing work hours
the cost of the pain itself
the cost of how it makes them feel
the cost of poor sleep
How do I calculate what I should charge for my photobiomodulation sessions?
But how much should you be charging? As mentioned at the top, you need to factor in your staff costs, your treatment value, your ROI calculations, laser scarcity, your experience level, your certifications, and much more. Thankfully, we have already done the hard work for you! Simply fill out this form and you'll get personalized pricing strategies!