Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for X-Ray Program Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The X‑Ray Program Coordinator is the operational and compliance lead for diagnostic radiography services. This role combines clinical workflow coordination, regulatory and radiation safety oversight, quality assurance (QA) testing, equipment and vendor management, staff training and credentialing, and data-driven performance improvement. The coordinator ensures patient and staff safety, maintains accreditation readiness (ACR, Joint Commission), optimizes imaging protocols and throughput, and acts as the primary liaison between radiology technologists, medical physicists, biomedical engineering, IT/PACS teams, vendors, and regulatory bodies.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Radiology Technologist (ARRT‑registered) transitioning into operations or QA
Radiology Supervisor or Lead Technologist seeking program-level responsibility
Clinical Operations or Medical Imaging Coordinator in outpatient/hospital settings

Advancement To:

Radiology Operations Manager / Imaging Services Manager
Diagnostic Imaging Program Director
Radiation Safety Officer or Chief Technologist for multi-site networks

Lateral Moves:

PACS/Imaging Informatics Analyst
Quality and Patient Safety Specialist (clinical focus)
Clinical Education Coordinator for radiology

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead and manage the day‑to‑day operations of the X‑ray program across one or multiple sites, ensuring efficient scheduling, staffing, and patient throughput while maintaining high standards of patient care and safety.
Develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive radiography quality assurance (QA/QC) program that includes routine equipment performance checks, image quality audits, dose monitoring and corrective action plans to meet ACR and institutional requirements.
Maintain program compliance with federal, state and local radiation safety regulations (NRC where applicable, state radiology statutes), as well as institutional policies and accreditation standards (ACR, The Joint Commission) and prepare facilities for formal inspections and surveys.
Coordinate and document periodic acceptance testing, preventative maintenance, and performance verification for X‑ray units, fluoroscopy systems, digital detectors and ancillary imaging equipment in collaboration with Biomedical Engineering and vendors.
Oversee radiation dose monitoring processes, including establishment and review of diagnostic reference levels (DRLs), dose‑tracking software, and investigation of dose excursions with reporting and mitigation steps.
Serve as the primary point of contact for the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) and support RSO activities including dosimetry program administration, shielding assessments, and annual radiation safety training.
Manage credentialing, competency assessments and continuing education for radiology technologists; maintain training records, certifications (ARRT), and competency checklists to ensure clinical staff proficiency and compliance.
Create, standardize and continuously optimize imaging protocols (exposure parameters, positioning, collimation) across modalities and sites to improve image quality, reduce repeat exams and minimize patient radiation dose.
Administer and manage PACS/DICOM workflows and interfaces in partnership with IT to ensure image availability, correct metadata, secure transfers, and adherence to DICOM standards and HL7 integrations.
Maintain comprehensive records for equipment inventories, regulatory permits, service histories, dose logs, quality assurance tests and accreditation documentation in organized, audit‑ready formats.
Lead root cause analyses and incident investigations for imaging errors, radiation safety events, equipment failures, or non‑compliance findings, and implement CAPA (corrective and preventive actions) to prevent recurrence.
Develop, write and update program policies, SOPs and work instructions for X‑ray operations, radiation safety, image retention and release, and equipment use; ensure facility‑wide policy dissemination and staff acknowledgement.
Coordinate procurement, budgeting and capital planning for imaging equipment, accessories, and consumables, including vendor selection, RFP coordination, cost analysis and performance specification development.
Manage vendor relationships and service contracts, including scheduling PMs, negotiating service level agreements, and verifying vendor deliverables and calibration certificates.
Produce operational, clinical and compliance reports (monthly KPIs, utilization metrics, QA results, dose statistics) for clinical leadership, hospital administration and regulatory stakeholders.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives to increase throughput, decrease exam cancellations and repeats, and improve patient experience using Lean, Six Sigma or similar methodologies.
Act as a clinical liaison for multidisciplinary teams — physicians, ED, OR, pediatrics, outpatient clinics — to coordinate imaging priorities, protocol customization and emergent workflow needs.
Ensure HIPAA compliance and image confidentiality during acquisition, storage, transmission and release of radiographic studies; coordinate with privacy officers on escalations and data breach mitigation.
Coordinate site planning for equipment installation, including room design, shielding requirements, electrical/network infrastructure, acceptance testing and commissioning to minimize downtime and ensure safety.
Provide front‑line support for technologists and staff regarding equipment troubleshooting, protocol questions, radiation safety concerns and regulatory interpretations; escalate to clinical engineering or vendors as needed.
Participate in clinical research or diagnostic imaging studies as the site coordinator, ensuring study protocol compliance, imaging standardization, timely image transfer and regulatory documentation.
Maintain and audit supply inventories for radiographic consumables (film/processing, contrast, protective apparel) and ensure timely reordering to prevent service interruptions.
Plan and coordinate community and staff radiation safety education efforts, including orientation training for new hires, annual refresher courses, and targeted competency sessions for specialized procedures.
Champion patient safety initiatives specific to radiology (pregnancy screening, pediatric dose reduction strategies, comfort and immobilization protocols) and monitor adherence.
Track and manage billing and coding queries related to radiology services in coordination with revenue cycle teams to reduce denials and ensure appropriate documentation for medical necessity.
Support multi-site standardization projects and consolidation efforts, ensuring uniform protocols, QA processes and reporting formats across the network.

Secondary Functions

Support ad‑hoc imaging and utilization analytics requests from leadership and provide actionable recommendations to reduce cost and optimize modality use.
Assist with research imaging scheduling and protocol implementation for investigator‑initiated and sponsored clinical trials.
Participate in multidisciplinary committees (radiation safety committee, infection control, patient safety) representing imaging program needs and requirements.
Backfill on-site technologist scheduling when necessary and coordinate cross‑coverage for holidays and unexpected staffing shortages.
Maintain vendor credentialing and site access documentation required for service visits and compliance audits.
Coordinate with facilities and construction teams for room renovations, relocations, and decommissioning of retired X‑ray units.
Support marketing and community outreach as a subject‑matter expert for imaging services and safety communications.
Maintain a prioritized project list for equipment upgrades, protocol standardization and workflow automation in collaboration with clinical and IT stakeholders.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Comprehensive knowledge of diagnostic radiography equipment, fluoroscopy systems, digital detectors and image acquisition principles.
Radiation safety and regulatory expertise (NRC where applicable, state radiology codes, OSHA, ALARA principles) and experience preparing for ACR and Joint Commission surveys.
Quality assurance and QC test proficiency including phantom imaging, kVp/mAs checks, detector performance, exposure reproducibility and image quality metrics.
PACS and DICOM administration experience; familiarity with image routing, modality worklists, DICOM tags and basic troubleshooting of integrations.
Familiarity with dose‑management tools and dose tracking software (e.g., Radimetrics, DoseWatch, or equivalent) and ability to interpret dose metrics and trends.
Strong clinical protocol development skills for adult and pediatric radiography and fluoroscopy including parameter optimization for dose and image quality.
Experience with equipment acceptance testing, preventive maintenance planning and vendor management; ability to review service reports and calibration certificates.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite (Excel for KPI dashboards, PowerPoint for presentations, Word for policies) and basic data analysis tools (Excel pivot tables, charts).
Knowledge of HIPAA regulations and experience implementing safeguards for Protected Health Information in imaging workflows.
Experience with accreditation processes (ACR accreditation application, submission, corrective action plans) and documentation management.
Basic understanding of networking fundamentals and integration with imaging informatics systems (HL7, DICOM, VPNs) and working knowledge of IT escalation paths.
Familiarity with inventory and asset management systems to track imaging equipment, PCs, shielding and accessories.

Soft Skills

Exceptional verbal and written communication skills to translate technical and regulatory information for clinical and administrative audiences.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail to maintain compliance documentation, schedules and audit readiness.
Leadership and influence to drive cross‑functional initiatives and lead small teams or project groups without direct authority.
Problem solving and analytical thinking to investigate incidents, analyze dose trends and implement corrective actions.
Time management and prioritization skills to balance reactive operational needs and proactive process improvements.
Collaborative team player who can work effectively with technologists, physicians, biomedical engineering and IT.
Customer service and patient‑centered approach to improve patient experience during radiographic exams.
Adaptability and resilience in fast‑paced clinical environments with competing priorities.
Training and coaching ability to deliver clear, engaging education to clinical staff and trainees.
Confidentiality and ethical judgment when handling sensitive patient and regulatory information.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate degree in Radiologic Technology (or equivalent) with current ARRT certification and state licensure as required.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Radiologic Science, Healthcare Administration, Medical Imaging Informatics, or related field.
Additional certifications in Radiation Safety, Imaging Informatics, Lean/Six Sigma, or Project Management (PMP) desirable.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Radiologic Technology / Radiography
Medical Imaging Informatics
Health Services Administration
Biomedical Engineering (technical emphasis)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–7 years of progressive experience in diagnostic radiography or imaging operations, with at least 1–2 years in a supervisory, QA, or coordination role.

Preferred: Experience coordinating multi‑site imaging programs, demonstrated success with QA programs and accreditation preparation (ACR), hands‑on PACS/DICOM management, and exposure to capital planning and vendor negotiations. Prior experience with dose monitoring tools and participation in radiation safety committee activities preferred.