How an integrated imaging network changes cancer outcomes at every step

Imaging is a critical tool used across the cancer continuum. It is the primary modality for the majority of cancer screenings, from breast to lung, and drives a large share of diagnostic and treatment-related costs. Most importantly, it determines the timing and quality of clinical decision-making. In other words, if you’re serious about changing cancer outcomes at scale, you can’t afford to leave imaging to chance.

That’s why we didn’t outsource this part of care, but instead built it into our model from day one.

But even the best imaging networks don’t deliver results without one critical element: utilization. That’s why we embedded imaging into our clinical workflow—not just making referrals, but actually placing orders at facilities within our network, coordinating scheduling, and following up to ensure it gets done.

Why traditional imaging falls short

Getting an imaging appointment, whether for a preventive screening or for a diagnostic workup, is notoriously slow and frustrating. For patients, it often means delayed care. For employers and health plans, it means rising costs and inconsistent outcomes. The root issues with imaging fall into three categories:

Access: Long wait times, narrow referral networks, and hard-to-navigate scheduling systems create unnecessary friction—starting with just getting an order. Many people are forced to see a doctor in person for something as routine as a screening mammogram.
Cost: Imaging prices have risen dramatically due to market consolidation. Routine screening exams are sometimes even upcoded to more expensive diagnostics.
Experience and coordination: When patients are left to navigate imaging on their own, the lack of coordination with their other providers often leads to confusion, surprise bills, and missed follow-ups.

What we built and why it works better

Because imaging affects every step of the cancer journey, we designed our network to meet five core needs:

Get people to appointments fast
We find imaging appointments at credible centers within two weeks across all 50 states. That level of access doesn’t just reduce no-shows and cancellations, it directly accelerates diagnosis and treatment. We also make it easier to get the imaging order itself, removing the need for an in-person doctor’s visit for routine screenings. The result? Patients move from abnormal screening results to confirmed diagnosis 55% faster than average.
Maintain high clinical standards
Every imaging center in our network is ACR-accredited, meaning they’ve passed a peer-reviewed evaluation of imaging quality, equipment, and personnel. We only refer to facilities employing board-certified or board-eligible radiologists. These standards reduce diagnostic errors and unnecessary follow-up imaging, protecting both outcomes and cost.
Lower cost at scale
Our network delivers up to 37% lower imaging costs compared to traditional networks. We achieve these savings without compromising clinical quality or shifting costs to patients.
Prevent upcoding + managing quality
All imaging orders are placed by Color clinicians, allowing us to control for clinical appropriateness and monitor for improper coding (like screening exams being billed as diagnostics). This reduces surprise bills and avoidable costs and improves documentation accuracy.
Deliver a better patient experience
Our care team manages the backend process, from ordering and scheduling to cost estimation and follow-up. This reduces confusion and delays, especially for high-risk patients who are already navigating complex care journeys.

Embedded, not outsourced

To bring these principles to life, we embedded imaging directly into our care delivery model. It functions as an integrated system, not a bolt-on service.

Here’s how it works operationally:

Orders come directly from Color’s medical group, without lag from outside PCPs or prior auth workflows.
Patients are supported in selecting the best site based on cost and quality, but still have a choice. Two-thirds choose our recommended site.
Everything is handled by our team. There’s no administrative burden on the employer or patient.

What this means for you

Your cancer strategy should and can be comprehensive. You need imaging that works within your broader care strategy, reducing costs, closing gaps, and improving outcomes at scale. This model doesn’t just streamline the patient experience, it solves operational pain points that typically drain time, money, and clinical progress.

Hard-to-reach populations? Covered.
95% of the U.S. population lives within 30 miles of a facility. We map and validate network adequacy before go-live.
Rising imaging costs? Seen and addressed.
Our model delivers up to 37% lower imaging spend, which we have validated via claims.
Care delays dragging down outcomes? We close the loop.
Faster diagnosis leads to earlier treatment, fewer complications, and reduced downstream costs.
Strained internal teams or external vendors? No lift required.
Implementation is zero-effort. It’s all built into our care model and managed by our team, with no new systems to manage.

Maintaining quality across the network

We don’t just build the network, we actively maintain and optimize it.

Annual reviews of network quality, utilization trends, cost benchmarks, and patient experience
Continuous removal of facilities that fall below clinical or operational standards
Ongoing expansion of facilities based on employer need and patient demand, always vetted for clinical excellence

Better imaging doesn’t happen by accident

We’ve found that the most effective healthcare models are built into the actual care pathways, not added as generic perks. Imaging is a system-critical component of cancer care. When it’s optimized for access, quality, and cost, everything downstream improves.

That’s why we built this. And that’s why we believe it’s essential to delivering better cancer outcomes at scale.

Want to see what faster, better imaging access could look like for your workforce? Email us at learnmore@color.com