We Spent 20 Years Building Physical Therapy — Then Blew It Up

In this episode of the Healthcare Trailblazers Podcast, we sit down with Ryan Eder, CEO of LainaHealth, to unpack a rare 20-year healthcare journey that spans hardware, software, computer vision, AI, military research, COVID pivots, and ultimately the creation of a nationwide virtual physical therapy practice.Ryan walks through how a senior design thesis turned into a decade-long R&D effort, why the company shut down millions of dollars of hardware overnight, and how AI-driven computer vision became the backbone of scalable, tech-enabled MSK care.This is a candid, execution-level conversation about building real healthcare companies, surviving pivots, and designing care models that actually work — for patients, providers, and payers alike.👇 Chapters below — jump to what matters most.00:00 – AI in Healthcare Is Not Optional02:48 – It Started as a College Design Project05:57 – 13 Years of Hardware… Then We Shut It Down10:58 – Why Virtual Physical Therapy Finally Works14:32 – The Numbers No One Likes to Share19:18 – AI as a Clinician’s Force Multiplier22:35 – The CMMI ACCESS Model: Reality vs Hype25:05 – Where Virtual Care Goes Next