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If you’re considering starting a diagnostic imaging center yourself, you’ll want to rst consider IF you
should begin working toward opening an imaging center, HOW TO BEGIN your process for planning out this
mammoth endeavor, and WHAT IT WILL TAKE in the end to get the center up and running and, most
importantly, pro table. NEED HELP?

Looking for help with any of this, please

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The Total Cost Of Starting An Imaging Center

Everything starts with money. No matter where you stand on a variety of issues – political,
religious, humanitarian – the rst consideration for everything is money.

Healthcare is no di erent. The monetary cost of a

diagnostics center can be described as ‘outrageous’ or
‘obscene’ without even drawing within sight of the concept
of hyperbole. Understand that, at least for many people,
whatever numbers you have in your head are likely not
anywhere near what your nal cost will be.

To determine your overall price tag, you’ll have to look at all

of the speci c costs to get started. It’s best to set up a price sheet with a minimum and maximum
that you think you’ll encounter for each item so you have a clear range.

In this article we will focus on the initial items to get you going, but keep in mind ongoing costs like
marketing, overhead, and maintenance. And don’t forget about the small items that add up like
software costs, waiting room furniture, and sta meetings just to name a few.

What Type Of Diagnostics Are You Focused On?

The term ‘Diagnostic Center’ could mean a variety of things. There are two main groupings (which
are not mutually exclusive):

1 – Clinical Pathology – These are labs that do things like bloodwork, urinalysis, and handle other
bodily uid testing, etc. There are very few e orts to start new businesses focusing on this element
of diagnostics, as a handful of other companies have already managed to expand into national
competition, and it’s cheap enough that many mid-sized primary physicians have labs onsite.

2 – Radiology or Medical Imaging Centers – This article will focus on Imaging Centers, as these
tend to involve the more costly equipment. Imaging can involve a variety of modalities which
produce images of the body, such as CT, MRIs, PET scans, and others. These centers are more
expensive, but are also one of the fastest growing segments of the industry. Lastly, while there are
nearly a dozen modalities to consider, it is perfectly acceptable to plan your business around just
one or two. In fact, for most business owners nd that starting with one or two modalities and
growing over time is the best strategy. If you want to open and operate an MRI Center, then that
could be perfectly viable. The cost of starting an imaging center will vary with your speci c business
plan.

Where Is The Best Place To Start A Diagnostics Center?

The rst rule of real estate and one of the major determining factors of the success of every
business are the same: location, location, location!

This doesn’t just mean exactly where you are in a city,

either. The rst thing you should do, even before you begin
looking for funding, is to determine what niche your
business will ll. How many hospitals are there within ten
miles? Twenty? What are the populations of the cities and
towns in your area? Are there any other freestanding or
independently owned diagnostics centers? Where are they
located? What modalities do they o er?

Answer these questions, and you’ll be on your way to mapping out the beginnings of your overall
plan. Later, you’ll need to determine an exact physical location. For now, you need to know where
you want to look.

LO C AT I O N S HO U LD BE C O N S I DE R E D I N A N U M BE R O F WAY S

It’s important to think beyond the city, or neighborhood to start your business. Make sure to think
about the smaller things like whether the exact location is convenient as far as tra c patterns and
accessibility from major roadways.

If your potential patients cannot nd your building or would have to drive for longer than would be
comfortable, then they’re going to become somebody else’s potential patients. Healthcare
providers tend to cluster near hospitals and other healthcare providers for a few reasons:

Specialist facilities like being near hospitals because it means that any referrals from the hospital
are going to be able to reach their practice easily.
Other providers use the rationalization that if they are within a few blocks of rival practices, then
there is no discussion to be had about which provider has the more convenient location, which
removes one criteria from consideration when trying to poach patients. Setting up shop in a
di erent area comes with a risk of being inconvenient to your targeted patient-base.

For convenience, selecting a site close to major

thoroughfares is most often preferable. Depending on which
modalities and machines you utilize, though, you may not
want to be sitting next to extremely busy roads. You’re
already going to have to modify whatever building you
decide to use.

Pro-tip: Don’t forget to take parking and public transit into account when selecting your building!

Is An O ce Park A Good Location For A Diagnostics Imaging Center?

Diagnostics imaging utilizes powerful magnets, radioactive chemicals, and bursts of radiation. The
equipment is loud and takes up a lot of space. Therefore, if at all possible, you want to set up your
Imaging Center in a freestanding building, and not as part of a complex (whether something akin to
a shopping center or a multi-story building makes no di erence). If you do end up having to set up
in a complex, you’ll need to take a few precautions to avoid upsetting the neighbors, which could
mean slightly higher price tags during your initial renovations.

What Speci cations Do Diagnostics Centers Need To Follow?

Diagnostics equipment has very particular requirements, so you will need to renovate any building
you use, even if it used to be a diagnostics imaging center. These renovations will include meeting
building codes or regulations regarding healthcare, imaging centers, and speci c types of machines.
MRIs, for example, require shielding. Other machines also have speci c requirements for the
construction or layout of the rooms they occupy, so make certain to be thorough in your research.

Pro-tip: Machine-speci c requirements also mean that you

need to have selected and purchased your machines before
renovations begin in earnest. Timing will be crucial here, as
you will want to try to coordinate delivery of your new or
used MRI or CT Scanner with the progress of the
renovations. Walls will likely need to be removed to get
them into the building, so good timing can save you a few thousand dollars in the process.

HO W M UC H DO E S AN M R I M AC HI NE C O S T ?

If you’re wondering how much an MRI machine costs, you’re most likely looking at between
$150,000 and $500,000. However, there are options under $150,000 and buying a used or
refurbished machine is often a big money saver. Alternatively, the most advanced models cost
upwards of $1 million. Obviously, there is a huge range of prices based on the machine. Your MRI
machine is a big decision and will be one of your biggest expenses when running an MRI center or
multi-modality center.

MRI Shielding

That’s why it’s important to make sure your MRI room is up to standard.

You must have the proper MRI shielding to ensure that your MRI is working optimally. Without it,
you will notice noise and artifacts in the images you take, which can result in unclear images, and
unnecessary rescans.

The MRI is Bulky

You’ll want to make certain you have ample room for the machine, because it is huge. MRIs are
comprised of three nested components that provide structural support, internal Radio Frequency
shielding, and of course various other crucial components.

This is yet another reason to ensure you have ample space not only for the machine to reside and
get in the building in the rst place, but also for your sta and patients to be able to move around
comfortably in the MRI room.

Do You Need a Metal Detector at Your MRI Center?

Certain items (metallic ones) have a tendency to be attracted by magnetic elds. This could spell
disaster for a rather expensive machine and in some case the people who happen to be in the wrong
place at the wrong time. Many facilities go so far as to include a foyer by the entrance of the MRI
room, speci cally to have a convenient place to keep a metal detector.

Whether or not you want to implement a metal detector is up to you, but it is important to make
this decision as early on as possible to incorporate it into your plans, or create procedures to
otherwise avoid metal from being brought into the wrong areas.

Pro-tip: You’ll want to keep your MRI in an interior room or as far from moving tra c as you can
get it. Well designed shielding helps, but vehicular tra c can interfere with the images because of
the metal in the cars.

Design Your Building Layout With The Noise Of The Mri In Mind

Yes, it’s noisy. If you are in a complex of some sort, with neighbors, you’re going to want to consider
taking a few measures to soundproof the room, or at least cut down on the noise. You’ll also want to
consider what rooms are adjacent to the MRI room internally so that no sound-sensitive areas end
up nearby.

C T SC AN AND X -R AY R O O M R E Q UI R E M E NT S

Rooms containing CT Scanners and X-rays will also require speci c shielding, except the shielding
is meant to protect the people outside the room. Lead-lining the room will prevent any excess
radiation leakage. This process is expensive, but necessary.

Some machines may also utilize various chemicals, which you will need to store before use and
dispose of after. Again, this means that you need to decide which machines you plan to utilize
before nalizing your renovation plans. Newer machines will generally require fewer special
considerations and be less “hazardous”, but be thorough in your research so that you know exactly
what each machine needs and what impact this will have on your construction and design plans.

Building an Imaging Center Requires Knowledge, Experience, and Expertise

In other words, consult with specialists who have done this

before. Cutting corners may reduce your upfront cost to
start, but the cost will be greater down the line, and may
even impact your pro tability, especially considering the
intricate and layered considerations for the requirements of
the machines, the layout of the center, patient
expectations, and more. So, for the layout, especially, you
will want to consult with a professional who has experience
speci cally with setting up and starting new imaging centers. The needs of the MRI room, by itself,
make this worth the cost of seeking out somebody with a more established portfolio.

An expert should also be capable of helping you to decide the best layout, from the locations of the
entrance and waiting rooms, all the way down to the width of the hallways and the best locations
for restrooms.

I MAG I N G C EN TER BU I LDI N G AP P R O VAL P R O C ES S

Once your plans are nished and you’re ready to break ground, it’s time to hit the brakes. And put it
in park.

Your plans need approval. First, you’ll need to show the nal plans to your stakeholders. They’ve
given you the money, so you have to show them what you’re doing with it. Then, Local, State, and
possibly even Federal agencies will need to sign o on the plans.

The Code-checkers from your city or your county will go over the design with a ne-toothed comb.
Even with the help of a quali ed consultant, there will likely be things that you missed. Some
obscure regulation, or a safety regulation that seems unimportant in the midst of design (but can
actually be critical), will be brought to your attention, and you’ll have to make a few changes.

So, how many exits are there? Where are they? Where are you placing re extinguishers? Did you
remember to plan out the sprinkler system? No? How are you going to work that into the MRI
room?

But you will also have to educate the authorities on the requirements of your machines. You will
need to explain the whys and wherefores. It will be di cult, and it might be frustrating. Just
remember, they’re just doing their jobs and trying to ensure the safety of your patients, and your
plans will be improved by this approval process.

Time to Build!

Now, it’s time to break ground! But you’ll need somebody to oversee the project. You have two
options for this.

C O NT R AC T O R VS FO R E M AN

This comes down to whether you want to hire a contractor

or not. If you want to try and save a little money, you can act
as your own contractor, but you still need an expert on site.
So if you choose not to hire a contractor, then you need to
hire a foreman. You need somebody who knows
construction and can coordinate the e orts of the workers
on site. A good foreman can save you a lot of money and
keep your renovations on time and on budget.

There are a few things to keep in mind, either way:

This is an expensive process, and you’re already paying a lot, but mistakes will cost you more. For
this reason, you need to visit the site every day. You will personally want to oversee as much as you
can.
You’re paying a lot for workers who know how to build – let them build. You and your contractor or
foreman should know the design and the sticking points, and other than that, your concern should
be in ensuring that no corners are cut. There are instances where you can be too hands-on.
Set a timeline and work to maintain it. Be conservative in your initial estimates. It’s easier to take a
day o if you get ahead than it is to catch up if you fall behind. And, this cannot be stressed enough
since you want to time the work that’s being done with the delivery of your machines.

Finding the Right Sta for a New Diagnostics Center

As expensive and crucial as your machines are, your sta is even more important. Your sta drives
your success. They’re the face of your imaging center. They’re the expertise that makes the entire
place run. With this hard fact in mind, you need to begin looking for hires while the building is still
being built or renovated. The hiring process, as you know, takes time. And even once you’ve spent a
month or two selecting the best candidates, they will still, typically, need two to four weeks before
they can actually join your team onsite. Some will need to move, some will already have jobs. Ant
then there’s training and formalities. Give yourself ample time. Use job boards, career fairs, and any
other resources you can to get the word out.

Pro-tip: If you’re on a budget, look for recent grads with high potential for growth. If you’ve got a
lot of money for sta ng look for more experienced technicians and radiologists. If possible, hire an
experienced Chief Radiologist who can help with the hiring of his or her subordinates.

The Cost To Build A Website For A Diagnostics Center

Websites don’t just happen. They take time and money. And while you can make the attempt to go
‘old-school’ and do without a site for a bit, the habits of consumers and patients in the modern
market involve heavy utilization of electronic information. That means a website is going to be a
crucial item and not having one spells almost certain doom.

In order to give yourself the best chance of success, you’ll want to try to have a website designed,
built, and launched by the time of your rst day in operation.

What does it cost to build a diagnostic center’s website? A custom site, on average, typically starts at
around $10k, and is usually over 50 pages in size. In some cases this can be trimmed, depending on
how detailed you want the site to be, how many locations you have, and how many features, such as
online billpay, that you plan to implement.

You will want to begin by doing research on your options and getting quotes from web development
companies that specialize in outpatient care centers. Some agencies o er pre-planned websites
that are built just for imaging centers with customization options. Templated sites like these can
save you a ton of money and get you a robust and professional website for around $2,000. Figure out
what you need, what you want, and what you’re willing to pay for.

Running an Imaging Center and Maintaining Pro tability

Since you’re looking to start an imaging center, you likely already know a little bit about managing
people or operations or both. But even with this experience, you may be surprised by just how much
time, attention, and e ort running a new business takes. As the owner, you will need to personally
keep an eye on the nances and be prepared to make di cult decisions to ensure long-term
pro tability – sometimes this might mean taking a short-term hit as you reinvest or refocus your
existing pro ts. There will be times when costs must be cut, and these circumstances will require
creativity and patience to navigate successfully.

Pro tability Begins And Ends With Patient Satisfaction

If you have no patients coming through the door, then you

have no pro t. Patients are the lifeblood of any medical
business. Always keep patient satisfaction front and center.
In order to breed happiness, you must know what your
patients think, what their experience is truly like. Most
healthcare providers overestimate their quality of service.
Patients who seem like they are content or even neutral
visits are not always so. From the very start, you should have a plan for gathering patient feedback,
learning how you can improve, and guiding your happy patients to Google or wherever else to leave
positive reviews. These e orts will draw new patients and build a towering reputation for your
facility that will keep your pro ts stable or climbing.

After You Start An Imaging Center, You Need To Market It

Once your new diagnostics center is up and running, the hard part begins. You have a new, beautiful
and inviting facility with state-of-the-art equipment and a great sta . Your next big undertaking is
marketing. But it doesn’t have to be a guessing game and it doesn’t need to cost you an arm and a
leg either. Digital marketing covers a wide range of services and o ers a lot of valuable
opportunities in diagnostics. If you’re on a tight budget, take a look at the options and make a
priority order. Some of the most e ective marketing strategies for radiology centers include:

Email Marketing
Social Media Marketing
Pay Per Click Advertising
Content Marketing (Blog Articles)
Search Engine Optimization (Seo)
Reputation Management (Online Reviews)

Once you have decided where and how to start your imaging center, you will need to set up a
business strategy. You will need to study organizational and nancial models, think outside the
box, and prove to be an e ective manager in order to make it all work. Even if your ultimate plan is
to sell the business and move on, you still need to work for several years in order to make it an
attractive purchase for an area hospital. It won’t happen quickly or easily. But with patience and
hard work, this place than you’ve built can become a pillar of your community’s healthcare
landscape and a cornerstone of your personal legacy.

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