Radiology provider MedQuest Associates names new COO, plus leadership changes at Penn Medicine, St. Jude Children’s
MedQuest Associates has named Nilesh Rajadhyax as its new chief operating officer, one of several recent leadership changes in radiology.
Atlanta-based MedQuest—which operates 45 outpatient imaging centers—said its new COO will be tasked with driving enterprise operations and financial performance. Rajadhyax joins the organization after previously serving as chief operating officer and interim CEO at Great Expressions Dental Centers.
"The demand for high-quality, cost-effective outpatient imaging services is greater than ever and will continue to grow."
- Nilesh Rajadhyax, Chief Operating Officer at Medquest Associates
“Driven by an aging baby boomer population, advances in technology and changes to insurance coverage, the demand for high-quality, cost-effective outpatient imaging services is greater than ever and will continue to grow,” Rajadhyax said in a statement. “I’m honored to join a company so committed to meeting this demand while improving the experience for patients, physicians and healthcare systems.”
Rajadhyax also served as a consultant at McKinsey & Company focused on corporate strategy and operational efficiency. He’ll report to CEO Jason Howard and sit on MedQuest’s Executive Leadership Council.
“As we grow, [Nilesh] will ensure that our infrastructure and operations are scalable, innovative and sustainable, supporting our mission for our patients and health system partners,” Howard said in the announcement.
Founded in 1996, MedQuest labels itself as the leading outpatient imaging partner in the U.S. The organization also recently named interventional radiologist Aalpen Patel, MD, MBA, as its new chief clinical and innovation officer.
Radiologist Andrew Smith takes leadership post
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital recently named Andrew Smith, MD, PhD, as the new chair of its Diagnostic Imaging Department.
A noted expert in body and oncologic imaging, he joins St. Jude from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he served as Innovation in Radiology vice chair. Smith also holds 30 patents, has led FDA clearance reviews for several devices, and is a co-founder and board member of three startups.
“Dr. Smith brings a wealth of knowledge and innovation to St. Jude,” James R. Downing, MD, St. Jude president and CEO, said in an announcement. “His expertise in the responsible use of AI in diagnostic imaging will play an integral role in shaping the future of pediatric cancer care here.”
Based in Memphis, Tennessee, St. Jude labels itself as the “only broad-based pediatric radiology program committed largely to childhood cancer.” Its radiology department’s research efforts span multiple facets of imaging including functional MRI, spectroscopy, metabolic and molecular imaging, and AI.
“I was drawn to the mission of St. Jude and the opportunity to make a difference for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases,” Smith said in the announcement. “I will guide diagnostic imaging as a servant leader and provide a shared vision for St. Jude to become a global innovator in cancer imaging.”
Mitchell Schnall, MD, PhD
Long-time Penn radiology chair takes on new role
The University of Pennsylvania Health System has selected radiologist Mitchell Schnall, MD, PhD, to fill the newly created role of senior VP for data and technology solutions.
The appointment follows two terms as radiology chair within Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine. In this new post, Schnall will help the health system understand emerging technologies and care approaches that could help improve the provider experience, boost outcomes and drive efficiency.
“Penn Medicine is excited to seize emerging opportunities to use technology in ways that will transform the healthcare industry,” CEO Kevin B. Mahoney, MBA, said in an April 30 announcement. “Dr. Schnall is a talented and visionary leader who will help us draw on our institution’s longstanding culture of innovation and continuous learning in this new space and provide a road map for health systems across the nation.”
Schnall also will lead the offices of the chief information officer, chief medical information officer and chief analytics officer. They’ll strive to analyze innovations in business and clinical care, building on Penn’s “success with tools for automating patient access, monitoring and self-serve transactions.”
He took over the new role on May 1. Interventional radiologist and 24-year faculty member William Stavropoulos, MD, meanwhile, is serving as interim chair while the department conducts a national search for a permanent replacement.
CEO changes at 2 vendors
Finally, two radiology vendors recently selected new chief executive officers:
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.