CASPER — Wyoming suffers from a shortage of radiologists compared to the rest of the nation, a recent national survey shows.
Jobs in diagnostic and interventional radiology aren’t being filled, local medical providers say, while the state wrestles with an ever-growing aging population.
The National Radiological Society recently shared insights from a white paper produced by Medicus Healthcare Solutions that reports while much of the nation has 13 radiologists per 100,000 population, Wyoming and three other states have nine per 100,000.
That reality comes as the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 77 million people in the nation will be 65 and older by the year 2034.
That shortage of people specializing in using imaging to explore and diagnose injuries and diseases also comes as imaging technology advances at a frantic pace.
Casper Medical Imaging & Outpatient Radiology Chief Executive Officer Barry Nielsen said the radiology field is not alone from other specialties where the demand exceeds the need at hospitals across the nation.
“They don’t have the staffing that they want or need,” he said.
In Casper, the private group of 16 providers offers radiology services for all the Banner Health sites in Wyoming, including Casper, Worland, Torrington and Wheatland. He said the group also serves hospitals in Gillette, Cody, Lusk and Saratoga and supports multiple clinics and the cancer center.
The providers include 12 radiologists based in Wyoming and four remote radiologists on staff in Texas, Utah and Florida.
The practice has two openings for radiologists and one for a physician assistant.
“There is a national shortage for radiology and CMI is working daily to overcome the shortage for our state,” Nielsen said. “We are also working with rural hospitals in Colorado, Nebraska and Montana as they are in need of our help.”
Technologist Openings As Well
In Rock Springs, Sweetwater Memorial Hospital Medical Imaging Director Tracie Soller said Radiology Medical Director Dr. Fred Matti was out of town. But his practice Advanced Medical Imaging has two providers, including Matti, who are at the hospital as well as a radiologist on staff who reads imaging remotely.
In general, Soller said the challenges for the radiology field are not just physicians. Medical imaging is experiencing shortages in every area, including radiology, CT, MRI, ultrasound and nuclear medicine.
“The shortage has been caused, in part, by older technologists retiring and increase in demand for imaging studies, and COVID-related burnout,” she said. “We’ve had openings in imaging at this hospital for more than a year with no applicants. Looking across the state, many hospitals are advertising for imaging technologists.”
Calls to the Cheyenne Radiology Group that serves Cheyenne Regional Medical Center were not returned by deadline. A spokesperson at Campbell County Memorial Hospital said its radiology director was unavailable for comment.
According to the Medics Healthcare Solution report, 50% of available jobs for radiologists in 2023 as of 2024 were unfilled.
Statistics from the 2025 National Match Program that puts medical school graduates into residency specialties show 961 applicants for diagnostic radiology residency positions did not match, or did not enter the residency and wanted to.
The same was true for interventional radiology in which specialists use imaging and minimally invasive catheters and other through blood vessels to perform procedures or diagnose.
The report also stated that:
• 29% of radiologists have served in temporary positions.
• 73% of radiologists perform remote image interpretation.
• 29 first-year residency positions have been added for diagnostic radiology programs nationally in the past four years.
• There are projected to be 3,116 fewer radiologists serving patients in 2055 compared to pre-pandemic projections.
Nielsen said the advances in the radiology field have led in part to increased demand for radiology services. He does not believe there has been a widespread “over utilization” of imaging by doctors who order the CT scans, MRIs or X-rays.
“They want to make the right decisions,” he said. “What do we need to do to get the patient healthy? (Radiological imaging) is at the center of every specialty.”
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.
