Q: Why did you choose to implement laser technology in your interventional pain practice?
Dr. Clinton Mallari: I looked at my patient population and saw there were certain patients who, despite doing all of the conventional treatments, weren’t helped. There’s a segment of the population that doesn’t respond to conventional treatment. I decided to incorporate low intensity laser therapy into my practice, which was only approved by the FDA in 2004. I started using the technology as a non-invasive way to treat patients with failed back surgery, headaches, etc. It doesn’t take up much room in my practice and it’s easy to use one member of our medical staff to do the treatment. Last year, we generated more than $60,000 in our practice by employing laser technology. These are patients who I would have otherwise referred out to physical therapy.
There is fear among now physicians that they don’t know what is going to happen with healthcare reform and procedures might not be reimbursed like they were in the past. Physicians want to help people the best way they can. My staff spends half a day each week trying to get authorizations to do these procedures by speaking with insurance companies. I got involved with lasers to improve my practice’s bottom line.
Q: The laser technology isn’t covered by insurance companies. How does this impact the utilization of the technique in your center?
CM: There are a lot of things in medicine that help patients but insurance companies don’t cover it. I tell patients that they must pay for the treatments out of pocket, but when you’re looking at the options, would you rather have the insurance company dictate your treatment versus how you are going to take an active role in your treatment? We are conditioned in this country to think that if the insurance company doesn’t cover it, we don’t want to move forward with it. For example, patients who have failed neck fusions are on chronic narcotic medications. They come into pain practices and they have few options left — spinal cord stimulators and regional nerve blocks that may not give them relief.
Laser technology is also less costly for the patients. A patient that goes to physical therapy might pay $120 for multiple treatments per week. Laser treatment is $40 for treating problems such as the neck and lower back for 30 minutes per week. Usually, patients undergo 10-15 treatments.
Q: How sustainable is the laser treatment in your practice?
CM: I didn’t have to do much marketing when I first started doing this treatment. When patients get better, they tell others. Not every patient wants and needs drugs. Most of the time patients will tell you they’ve had surgery and physical therapy, which didn’t work in the long term. You can also treat high-end athletes with this technology, which we share with the sports medicine specialists in our community.
Q: What are the advantages for the patients when using the laser technology?
CM: Using the laser technology is painless and it heals damaged tissue, whether from a fracture, skin wound from surgery, an injured nerve or injured muscles. The infrared laser light penetrates deep into the tissue and heals from a cellular level. There have been a lot of scientific articles written abroad about laser technology and most surgeons in the United States know what lasers can do during surgery. That is what we call a hot laser, which cuts through tissue. The laser I use is low intensity and doesn’t damage tissue at all. The conditions that respond well to laser treatment include arthritis, carpal tunnel, plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, joint pain, knee pain, join swelling, wounds and scars.
Read other coverage on improving orthopedic practice profits:
– 5 Great Ways to Increase Profits at Orthopedic-Driven ASCs
– 4 Solutions to Common Reasons Why Orthopedic Surgeons Lose Money
– 6 Ways for Orthopedic and Spine Surgery Centers to Stay Profitable in 2011
