How Knoxville Nuclear Medicine Provides Patient-Centered Diagnostic Services and its Independence with State-of-the-Art Nuclear Imaging Technology and Training
Knoxville Nuclear Medicine in Iowa is dedicated to providing the highest quality diagnostic images possible, while maximizing patient safety. By working closely with physicians at local hospitals, Knoxville Nuclear Medicine ensures that the scans it provides can help lead to faster and more accurate diagnoses.
Knoxville Nuclear Medicine has been serving patients with diagnostic imaging for 17 years, and is one of just a few imaging service providers in Knoxville, Iowa. The town of Knoxville is the county seat of Marion County, with a population of 33,000 – 12% of which are over the age of 65.
Brian Clarke, owner of Knoxville Nuclear Medicine, started his company in order to provide patient-centered diagnostic services. As a native of Knoxville, Brian has deep roots in the community, often performing nuclear medicine imaging tests on people he’s known for decades. While there are other providers serving the area, Brian’s rapport with patients and relationships with the referring physicians has made him the top choice.
Knoxville Nuclear Medicine was originally established to supplant older technologies being used by older practices. Identifying the need to bring more advanced molecular imaging to the market, Brian decided that he had to differentiate how he performs his services. This required significant time and investment – both of which are paying off in spades.
“Our focus is to provide the community with state-of-the-art diagnostic services, but doing so in a way that ensures my business is viable – especially with declining reimbursements. The people of Knoxville deserve high-quality care, like anyone else does.”
Brian Clarke. Knoxville Nuclear Medicine
Finding a Niche, Filling a Void
The “next level of nuclear medicine” is how Brian defines his strategy of providing highly accurate tests in a prompt manner using the latest SPECT systems. After years of building his practice, Brian had earned a positive reputation among the local medical community. Referring physicians were confident that they were able to make a clinical diagnosis, particularly when it came to ruling out other unnecessary tests based on false positives.
Brian then began to work to promote and educate patients and physicians about the benefits of molecular imaging. Dispelling myths and antiquated misconceptions about the “nuclear” or “radioactive” part of the services proved to be harder than anticipated, particularly among the older residents. However, he persisted and now ensures his clients with education and excellent bedside manner that the benefits of these tests far outweigh any potential negatives.
With his place within the medical community established, Brian began to invest in his equipment. Currently, he has two systems, one in each of the facilities he works in – Knoxville Hospital and Lucas County Health Center. Brian uses Philips Forte imaging systems; one was purchased as a refurbished system and both are being maintained by Universal Medical Resources. By making pragmatic investments in reconditioned nuclear imaging equipment, Brian was able to get state-of-the-art technology at a quarter of the price of new systems.
Additionally, Brian trusts Universal Medical Resources to maintain his systems. Having an expert in nuclear imaging technology perform routine preventative maintenance and inspections, Brian was able to focus on providing services to patients. Like many small business owners, Brian made the decision to trust his vendor to do their job so he could do his.
Knoxville Nuclear Medicine is a successful example of how nuclear technologists can establish and flourish in a rural community, while not having to sacrifice the quality of the services they provide. By making smart investments in expertly reconditioned systems, Brian has built a thriving practice and a solid reputation for being an invaluable part of the local medical community.