FredTalk With Dr. Jody Barber

FredTalk With Jody Barber, M.D.

For our latest FredTalk, we’re privileged to present an insightful conversation with one of Essential’s teleradiologists, Dr. Jody Barber, whose vital contributions are helping redefine traditional approaches to patient care and collaborative medical practice. Her unique perspective and passion for the field have been instrumental in furthering our mission of transforming the landscape of teleradiology. Dive into the thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Barber below: 

Tell us about your role on the team at Essential.

As a new member of Essential’s team of radiologists, I’m taking on a specific client, which is a hospital. My schedule is 8 to 5, so I’m initially covering cases for our client’s inhouse radiologists in the morning, during lunch, and then at the end of the day as the rads end their shifts. 

What drew you to Essential? 

I was transitioning from a position working onsite for a private practice as they were relocating, and was introduced to the team at Essential. I began my conversations with Maegan Moore, Essential’s Director of Physician Recruitment and Onboarding, and immediately felt at home. 

Everyone I spoke with at Essential during the onboarding process emphasized their commitment to ensuring that every radiologist is happy, has enough time off, and feels fulfilled with the pacing and quality of the work they are doing. Because my previous experience is with private practices, Essential’s focus on strong client relationships really resonates with me, since it allows me to build rapport and alignment with the client’s inhouse radiologists and work collaboratively.

What systemic problems, issues and constraints is Essential addressing?

One thing that I discovered from the get-go is that Essential focuses on working alongside radiology practices to help them provide the service they need to maintain their contracts — rather than trying to compete with them. This allows us to all focus on actively building trusted, respectful relationships and trying to support everyone involved, from the patient to the hospital group. Another value that sets Essential apart from other teleradiology groups is their dedication to providing only high-quality work and working with the best radiologists. 

What great impact do you expect Essential to have on the field of teleradiology?

I’ve heard of so many colleagues across the country that there are chronic delays in getting outpatient studies read. This means that the peace of mind of patients is being sacrificed because of inefficiencies and inferior business models. Simply put, Essential is putting radiologists where the patients and studies are, which is a breath of fresh air in our industry today. And I believe this new standard of excellence is going to shape the future. 

What have you learned about the Essential culture that resonates with your personal values and professional aims?

It was immediately clear to me that Essential prioritizes honesty, integrity, and transparency, which are values I have always championed personally and throughout my work in radiology. It is extremely satisfying being part of an organization where everyone believes in these principals and acts on them each and every day. 

I talked to around 20 different practices when I was interviewing for my position, and nothing around honesty, integrity or transparency was ever mentioned in any other conversation. So, I have come to realize that Essential’s approach is truly unique, which makes me even more grateful for being a part of this great team!