(Nov. 14, 2025) – In a recent presentation, Kraig Vondran of Roshal Health highlights the critical role of radiology in rural and frontier health care, emphasizing its importance across nearly every medical discipline—from surgery and oncology to emergency medicine and infectious disease management.
Diagnostic radiology enables accurate disease detection and treatment monitoring through imaging tools like X-rays, CT scans, MRIs and ultrasounds, while interventional radiology supports minimally invasive procedures that improve patient outcomes and reduce surgical risks.
Despite its essential function, rural communities are experiencing a growing crisis in access to radiology services. As of 2023, more than 46 million Americans reside in rural areas, yet nearly 60 percent of rural counties lack a single local radiologist. Since 2010, more than 130 rural hospitals have closed since 2010, and only 39 percent of rural patients have access to advanced imaging services, compared to 90 percent in urban areas. Workforce shortages, equipment costs and limited clinician training further compound the problem. The Imaging Wire (2025) reports a 50 percent rise in attrition among imaging professionals since 2020, further intensifying the challenge.
This presentation urges action through solutions like adopting teleradiology, utilizing staffing agencies and supporting broadband expansion to enable telehealth and remote diagnostics. It also encourages engagement with state programs such as the Rural Health Transformation initiative, which funds technology-driven solutions and training to strengthen local health systems. The benefits of advanced rural radiology include keeping care local, reducing patient travel, expanding service offerings, generating new revenue streams and better managing chronic diseases.
--Hayley Finch-Genschorck