In the mid-2000s, radiology was in the midst of a perfect storm:

• CMS began a series of reimbursement cuts for radiology procedures and services that continued for a decade.
• A number of national teleradiology companies began to compete for hospital clients with the local radiology practices for which they had previously provided nighttime coverage.
• Also, hospitals and referring physicians were seeking higher levels of service that included around-the-clock subspecialized reads, a service level that is extremely difficult to deliver in-house for most private radiology practices in the United States.

In response, more than a dozen large radiology practices located in different markets across the nation began to meet informally to discuss our common problems. We concluded that by collaborating we could provide coverage for each other, and our coalition was founded in 2009. 
 

Nearly a decade later, we have built: 

• the nation’s first AHRQ-listed Patient Safety Organization dedicated to the improvement of medical imaging quality and safety, 
• a Group Purchasing arrangement that provides members with discounts on products and services, 
• a culture of trust and collaboration that has sustained our organization and will carry it into the future.