Moved by the entrepreneurial spirit and the opportunity to create something that would prioritize both patients and radiologists above all else, Jon Jaksha, along with his partners, founded Real Radiology.
Since its start in 2013, Real Radiology has grown significantly and its mission of creating a physician focused company that produces superior results has become a reality. Managing partner and practicing radiologist Jon Jaksha M.D. delves into the history, uniquenesses, and future vision for Real Radiology.
Why did you start Real Radiology?
JJ: After years of experience working as a radiologist, I learned what I liked, saw what was working, and saw how it could be improved. The parts of my previous radiology position that I really appreciated were the efficiencies they were utilizing and the idea of consolidating off hours coverage. The area I felt could be improved upon was creating a company outside of the corporate world, which I believed would be better for those actually involved in the long run by being able to more easily prioritize quality of life for the radiologists and patient care over all else. My partners and I also felt moved to start something on our own, create a company from scratch, and control our own destiny. We saw the opportunity to create something extremely beneficial to both patients and radiologists.
What sets Real Radiology apart from others?
JJ: At Real Radiology we prioritize quality and patient care above all else. To achieve this higher quality and produce the best results, we must be selective in the radiologists with whom we choose to partner with. In addition to our selectivity we are also extremely respectful to our radiologists time and lifestyles. Being a radiologist myself, my goal was to remove bureaucracy and administrative barriers from our physicians so they can more easily focus on the real work of radiology while maintaining a realistic work life balance. I’m happy to say my partners and I have done just that. We pride ourselves on being started by and run by practicing radiologists. Not being tied to the private equity world gives us the freedom to put the well-being of our customers and radiologists first even if that were to mean sacrificing profitability. At Real Radiology we have a long-term vision and I believe we have the resources, experience, and team to achieve this vision.
Has the teleradiology industry changed since you started Real Radiology? How so and how has Real Radiology adapted to these changes?
JJ: The industry has changed. Teleradiology is much more widely accepted today than when Real Radiology started. A lot more people use it, realize its benefits, and rightfully treat it as radiology as opposed to something different. The majority of people have now come around to the fact that it is not some subset of radiology, it’s just radiology. At the end of the day teleradiology is radiology.
How do you see teleradiology changing in the future?
JJ: A change I hope to see is more of a hybrid model of radiology where traditional groups partner with Real Radiology to form true partnerships. This hybrid model would allow us to meld what we excel in – such as efficiency, off-hours coverage, and access to subspecialty expertise – into the traditional radiology model. This would result in a practice that is better than the sum of its parts and ultimately further benefits both patients and radiologists.
What is your vision for Real Radiology in the future as the industry continues to change?
JJ: As the industry continues to change, my vision is for Real Radiology to continue to expand on the owned and operated by radiologists’ model and begin to compete with the larger corporate owned entities. I want Real Radiology to be the best radiology job in the country while providing the best, highest quality patient care.