Ascension Wisconsin Enhances Radiology Services

Radiology services provide crucial information to physicians for diagnosing, monitoring, and planning treatments for a wide range of diseases and conditions, including cancer and heart disease.

Making investments for our patients

Ascension Wisconsin is making significant investments to strengthen our imaging and radiology capabilities, expand access to these essential services, and deliver great patient experiences. Examples include:

• New Equipment: Over the next three years, we will be upgrading and replacing the majority of our imaging equipment across Ascension Wisconsin-an investment to modernize and improve diagnostic capabilities to best-in-class levels to best serve our patients.
  
  
• Enhanced Software: We are enhancing imaging quality system-wide through advanced 3D post-processing software. Additionally, we recently consolidated our imaging sharing platform, increasing our ability to provide a higher level of support across our sites through a single platform, resulting in faster read times.
  
  
• Expanded Access: We're leveraging tools like self scheduling to make access easier for our patients, and a mobile PET/CT van is now providing our communities in SE Wisconsin more access to scans, a model we will look to expand.
  
  
• Innovative Solutions: Real-time, remote diagnostics expedite diagnoses, and we now have new technology with the potential to detect Alzheimer's disease earlier.
  
  

"The investments and advancements Ascension Wisconsin is making for radiology and imaging services are not just upgrades-they're meaningful steps toward transforming how we deliver exceptional services and expand access for our patients," said Dr. Kevin Casey, Chief Clinical Officer, Ascension Wisconsin.

Addressing workforce shortage challenges

Across the country, healthcare systems are navigating significant challenges due to a national shortage of imaging technologists and radiology physicians and an increasing number of complex imaging studies needed.

According to the 2025 Wisconsin Hospital Association's Workforce Report, the demand for imaging services is increasing due to an aging population, but the number of new radiologists entering the workforce has not kept pace. This causes stress on clinical teams and can result in dissatisfactory patient experiences, such as longer wait times for results. Technology investments and advancements are critical to overcome the workforce shortage.

"Recruiting for local radiology physicians and technicians is a priority for Ascension Wisconsin and we are continually filling open positions despite the national workforce shortage of imaging specialists," said Angelic Chapman, Vice President of Imaging, Ascension Wisconsin.

Radiology groups nationwide have been consolidating into fewer - yet larger - groups over the past decade, according to multiple sources, including Diagnostics and Imaging Magazine. When a local group of radiology providers became unable to provide services to our sites in December 2024, we were able to ensure uninterrupted care for our patients by quickly mobilizing the support of our long-standing, large radiology group partner that leveraged its scale and national network of specialists to deploy support across our sites. This enabled us to maintain imaging services for patients and support our care teams during a period of transition.

We continue to work diligently to enhance imaging services for our patients, recruiting for critical imaging and radiology roles and investing in equipment and technology to provide exceptional care. Patient safety and satisfaction remain our top priorities, and we strive to ensure our care continues to meet the needs and expectations of those who rely on us.