Fresh off name change, US Radiology Specialists hires former NFL player as chief medical officer
Fresh off changing its name, imaging provider US Radiology Specialists has hired a former NFL player as chief medical officer.
The Raleigh, North Carolina-based organization, which now goes by Lumexa Imaging, has selected radiologist Russell Stewart, MD, MBA, MS, to fill the key role. Most recently, he has served as chief clinical officer of Covera Health, leading efforts to use AI and data analytics to improve care quality.
Stewart also provides imaging interpretations at Stanford University Medical Center. He has held multiple leadership positions there including head of body imaging at the Stanford South Bay Cancer Center and director of quality for its entire radiology department.
"Dr. Stewart brings a powerful blend of clinical acumen, business strategy, and technology expertise to our team," CEO Caitlin Zulla, MPH, who joined Lumexa in January, said in a statement Aug. 4. "His leadership will be instrumental as we expand access to world-class outpatient imaging and continue to elevate the standard of care through innovation and clinical excellence."
Before becoming a physician, Stewart played tight end for the Stanford Cardinal football team and later the Seattle Seahawks in the National Football League. He also has held executive roles with Nines, a California-based radiology AI company. As CMO, Stewart will guide Lumexa Imaging’s national clinical strategy, oversee efforts to enhance care, and strengthen partnerships with health systems, referrers and its network of physicians.
“I look forward to working with our radiologists and partners to deliver measurable value through quality, efficiency and patient satisfaction,” Stewart said in a statement.
Lumexa bills itself as “one of the country's largest providers of outpatient medical imaging,” with 5,000 team members conducting over 4 million outpatient imaging exams annually. US Radiology Specialists was formed in 2018 as a partnership between Charlotte Radiology and New York private equity firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe.
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.