Today we have the honor of interviewing Dr Richard Albright, CEO of Summus Medical Laser, a leading class 4 laser therapy device company. Richard was joined by Dr Phil Harrington, the Chief Medical Officer of the company.
Summus Medical Laser develops and manufactures Class IV laser therapy devices utilized across medical, dental, and veterinary fields. These devices deliver specific red and near-infrared wavelengths of laser light to induce therapeutic effects, aiming to support the body's natural recovery processes, alleviate pain, and reduce inflammation.
Key Features Include:
Advanced Laser Technology: Utilizes specific red and near-infrared wavelengths to induce therapeutic effects.
Non-Invasive Treatment: Offers a non-surgical solution for clinicians to treat pain, reduce inflammation, and aid healing.
Versatile Applications: Designed for use in medical, dental, and veterinary practices.
Patient-Centric Design: Focused on improving patient outcomes by providing effective and comfortable treatment options.
Picture: Summus laser 4 therapy devices (H1, Horizon)
Customers/Partners: Teams’ practitioners (MLB, NFL, NHL, MLS, NCAA), Medical professionals, dental practitioners, veterinarians, and healthcare providers seeking advanced therapeutic laser solutions.
Here is a video that explains how it works:
Here is a video showcasing Summus Medical laser’s H1 laser 2 therapy device:
📝Show Notes: Through this interview, we touched on their respective backgrounds, their company and product, the benefits for sports organizations and teams to use their product. We also talked about their competitive advantage, business model, and their plans for the next 12 months.
You can read the full transcript of the podcast interview with Richard and Phil located at the top of this blog post.
Here are the quotes from the interview with Richard and Phil:
Q1. Tell me about your background.
Dr. Richard Albright:
“My name is Dr. Richard Albright, and I’m the CEO of Summus Medical Laser. Before founding the company, I was a practicing chiropractor. What really got me into the world of laser therapy was the realization that many of my chronic patients were returning again and again with the same complaints. I would adjust them, they’d leave feeling great, but the next day they were knocking on my door again. I felt like something was missing in the treatment protocol—I needed something that could provide deeper healing. That led me on a search to find a technology that could offer real tissue-level change, not just temporary relief. That search brought me to Class IV laser therapy, which at the time wasn’t even available in the United States. I ended up importing devices from abroad under a research exemption, opened a laser-only clinic, and was absolutely blown away by the results. It was a moment that completely changed the trajectory of my career.”Dr. Phil Harrington:
“I started my career by earning a degree in physics from Iowa State University, and then I spent several years as a high school math and physics teacher. Eventually, I decided to go into healthcare and attended Palmer College of Chiropractic. I ran a private practice for about a decade. Then, through a mutual friend, I met Dr. Albright, and we really hit it off. That was nearly 20 years ago, and since then I’ve been the Chief Medical Officer at Summus Medical Laser. One thing I’ve always emphasized is the importance of using the right parameters in laser therapy—wavelengths, dosage, power, treatment time—all of that matters tremendously for clinical results. And what’s exciting is that today, unlike 20 years ago, we now have solid scientific research that explains exactly how and why laser therapy works. That knowledge has helped us design better equipment and achieve better outcomes for patients and athletes.”
Q2. Tell me about your company and product.
Dr. Richard Albright:
“Summus Medical Laser was officially launched in 2004, but the journey started years before that. Back in 2001 or so, I began researching laser therapy because I was frustrated with the limited tools available to me as a chiropractor. There were no Class IV lasers in the U.S. at the time, so I looked internationally and connected with a company in Italy. They couldn’t sell to me in the U.S., but I managed to find a technical loophole and brought the devices in under an IRB, or Investigational Review Board, exemption. I opened a second clinic—laser-only—and honestly, the results were nothing short of shocking. Patients responded so well that it made me reevaluate everything I thought I knew about treatment and healing.
Over the years, we were distributors for a major European manufacturer, but in 2018 we decided it was time to control the entire process. We rebranded as Summus Medical Laser and transitioned into manufacturing our own devices. Since then, we’ve launched five new products and have a sixth on the way. We build every product through the lens of a healthcare practitioner. We know what doctors and trainers need, because we were in those roles ourselves.”
Q3. Tell me about the main use cases on how teams use your product.
Dr. Phil Harrington:
“Our lasers are used across a wide range of sports medicine and rehabilitation scenarios. The protocols are built directly into the system, based on both clinical research and depth-of-penetration studies we’ve conducted. So whether you’re treating a large muscle group like the back or a smaller joint like the elbow, the device automatically calibrates the right dosage and wavelength settings.
In professional sports, time is critical. For example, in Major League Baseball, if a player is hit by a pitch, the medical staff can take him straight to the dugout and begin treatment immediately with our portable units. That rapid response can significantly reduce swelling and pain, and allow the player to return to the game faster. We’ve also seen teams use the lasers on injuries like hamstring pulls, rotator cuff strains, and even blisters on pitchers’ fingers—which, as you can imagine, can be a game-changing issue.”
Q3. What are the benefits for the teams to use your product?
Dr. Phil Harrington:
“The benefits for teams are tremendous. Let’s be honest—teams are investing tens, sometimes hundreds of millions of dollars into their athletes. They can’t afford to have those players sitting out games or seasons. Laser therapy helps athletes recover faster and more effectively, which translates into more time on the field, better performance, and ultimately, more wins.
One of the most memorable moments for me was when I ran into the head trainer for an Olympic soccer team the year after they won the gold medal. He walked up to me at a conference, shook my hand, and said, ‘Phil, your laser therapy system got our players back on the field faster than anything else we’ve ever used.’ That’s the kind of impact we’re having.
And it’s important to note—this isn’t just about temporary pain relief. We’re actually promoting tissue healing, improving cellular function, and helping the body progress through the inflammatory process faster. That leads to higher-quality healing and more durable recoveries.”
Q4. What are the things that teams like about your product?
Dr. Richard Albright:
“One of the biggest things teams love is the portability of our devices. We designed them to be incredibly compact and durable. They fit right into a Pelican case, so trainers can take them on the road, on the bus, even on the team plane. I know one pro team that told us they regularly treat players mid-flight. That kind of flexibility is a big deal in pro sports.
We also offer LED light beds for full-body treatment, which are fantastic for recovery days when multiple athletes need attention. And this year we’re rolling out a fully robotic laser system for training rooms. It’ll allow athletic trainers to treat multiple players at once without having to manually operate the device. That’s a huge help when you’re dealing with a packed recovery room.”
Q5. What are your competitive advantages?
Dr. Richard Albright:
“We are extremely differentiated from our competitors. One of the standout features is our use of four therapeutic wavelengths that can be delivered simultaneously or individually, depending on the clinical need. That gives trainers and doctors a high degree of control and precision.
Our software interface is also incredibly intuitive. We always say, ‘It’s so easy, even a doctor can use it.’ On top of that, we designed our units to be truly portable, which isn’t the case with most competing systems.
And then there’s our support—we have a world-class medical officer in Dr. Phil Harrington who’s always available to assist with questions and clinical guidance. And because we’re based here in the U.S., service and support are fast and efficient.”
Q5. What is your business model?
Dr. Richard Albright:
“We offer several flexible models depending on what the team needs. They can purchase the unit outright as a capital expenditure, or they can go through a lease model with one of our financing partners. We also have a usage-based rental program—think of it as a ‘pay-as-you-go’ system—where teams pay a monthly fee based on the number of treatments. That’s especially helpful for teams that want to avoid pulling from their capital budget or who are testing the technology before a full rollout.”
Q6. Which teams are using your product today?
Dr. Richard Albright:
“We’re proud to be used across all major professional sports leagues in the U.S.—MLB, NFL, NHL, MLS—and by many top-tier NCAA programs. Auburn University, for example, has been a strong partner. They’ve purchased multiple lasers and have them in nearly every training room across all their sports. JoJo Petone, their head athletic trainer before retiring, told us that part of his legacy was making sure every sport had access to our laser systems.”Dr. Phil Harrington:
“Yes, and we’re also working with teams in the NBA and several major European soccer teams. I was just in Europe visiting with top-tier Premier League organizations. I can’t disclose names due to confidentiality, but these are some of the most successful and recognizable clubs in the world—and they’re extremely excited about the results they’re seeing.”
Q7. What are your plans for the next 12 months?
Dr. Richard Albright:
“We’ve got a major product launch coming up this summer—our fully robotic laser system. It’s been nearly four years in development. The system automates treatment with extreme precision, so teams and clinics can deliver consistent, high-quality care while freeing up their staff for other tasks.
More broadly, our focus is on continuing to innovate and educate. There’s still a lot of awareness-building to do around laser therapy—not just our company, but the technology itself. We’re also actively expanding our presence in international markets and new sports leagues. The future is incredibly exciting.”
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