Essential Values: Invention

“You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.” Well, sometimes you do, especially in a landscape where that ‘wheel’ is outdated, unsophisticated, and out of touch. The state of radiology isn’t a pretty picture. With the number of exams and readings skyrocketing, an imbalance in the market, and fewer new radiologists entering practice each year, the industry was ripe for disruption. The delivery of quality healthcare to all can only happen if a relentless spirit of change prevails – which is exactly why Essential Radiology embraces invention as an essential value. 

The value of invention

From Apple to Airbnb, some of the world’s most successful companies have distinguished themselves as clear leaders in their respective fields because of their forward-thinking approach to improving their landscapes. And although each of their approaches may look completely different, they all have one thing in common – invention. 

The concept of invention is critical to any organization’s success. Its utilization allows companies to stay ahead of their competitors by developing new products, services, and processes that meet evolving customer needs. And companies that fail to innovate often risk becoming obsolete and being left behind in a rapidly-changing marketplace. However, invention can be hard to accomplish in a world where new products, services and experiences emerge every day – which is why Roger Cusa, international marketing executive, believes reinvention may be an equally powerful key to success. 

“Most think innovation is synonymous with invention – and that to move the needle, we need to come up with a shiny new product, market, or idea. But if we look back at some of the most innovative brands of recent decades – Zappos, Virgin, Cold Stone, Walt Disney, Hotmail, and more – we find that they actually didn’t invent a thing,” says Cusa. “Rather, they introduced a product that reinvented the established norms of their market.”

Necessity is the mother of invention – and with the world at a crossroads following what will probably be the most challenging time in any of our lives, there’s certainly an ever-emerging need to face what hasn’t worked for decades and leverage the art of invention to better everyone’s interests. 

Essential’s culture of invention

At Essential, we’re not afraid to own the fact that we have a growth mindset, and invention is our fuel. To our co-founder and CEO, Michael Rabern, who has traversed the radiology industry for decades, invention is more than just an aspiration, it’s a promise. “Our goal from the outset was to embark on the process of reflecting upon — and giving shape to — a fresh, relevant and engaging business platform that positions the business with authenticity and distinction,” Rabern explains. “We don’t box ourselves into one particular way of doing things. We know that keeping pace with changing demands — and better yet, anticipating needs before they’re even realized — requires us to be nimble and flexible.”

As a result, our culture is both rigorously discipline-driven and deeply creative. Through this unlikely combination, we work with healthcare organizations, radiologists, and practitioners across the radiology ecosystem to align their needs with remarkable openness, depth, and breadth. And in the process, we’re able to anticipate change in ways that allow us to keep building ahead of the curve. “We understand that invention drives progress in the medical field. By embracing new technologies and approaches, we not only want to help our team continue to advance their knowledge, but we want the best for patient care,” states Raul Ruiz, Essential’s COO. “And by breaking with the flawed conventions and systems of the past, we have the opportunity to forge new paths to disrupt the status quo.”