Imaging industry veterans with 55 years of experience launch teleradiology practice management organization

Two industry veterans with 55 years of combined experience in the specialty are launching a new practice management organization focused on remote reading.

Yellowcross Healthcare is based in Scottsdale, Arizona, providing consulting services to medical groups and healthcare facilities in the U.S. It’s piloted by co-founders Kent Thomas, the former VP of operations and integrations at industry giant Radiology Partners, and Robb Vaules, previously SVP at teleradiology group OnRad Inc.

The two first worked together at NightHawk Radiology Services in 2006.

“Yellowcross solves the gap between the potential of telemedicine and its practical implementation with healthcare facilities,” Vaules, who is serving as CEO of the new venture, said in a Feb. 20 announcement. “By harnessing the power of telemedicine, our team of teleradiology professionals and innovative thinkers assist in overcoming geographical and technical barriers, improving patient access to care, reducing healthcare delivery costs and enhancing the overall quality of healthcare services.”

The organization aims to help hospitals, clinics, medical groups and other imaging providers manage the back-end administration of teleradiology services so physicians can “focus on serving their patients.” Yellowcross is currently looking to hire both part- and full-time radiologists in general and subspecialized care. Its compensation model has hourly and per-click opportunities, “dependent on the client,” according to a job posting.

Yellowcross says it does not “engage in direct patient care” but instead helps providers augment their teleradiology capabilities.

Marty Stempniak

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. 

Around the web

The patient, who was being cared for in the ICU, was not accompanied or monitored by nursing staff during his exam, despite being sedated.

The nuclear imaging isotope shortage of molybdenum-99 may be over now that the sidelined reactor is restarting. ASNC's president says PET and new SPECT technologies helped cardiac imaging labs better weather the storm.

CMS has more than doubled the CCTA payment rate from $175 to $357.13. The move, expected to have a significant impact on the utilization of cardiac CT, received immediate praise from imaging specialists.