Health systems continue to grapple with radiology technologist (rad tech) shortages fueled by post-COVID-19 burnout, intensifying competition for staff from freestanding imaging centers, rising demand for services from an aging population, and candidates’ expectations for more comprehensive benefits. Despite modest declines in vacancy rate among some imaging disciplines since 2023, the overall rad tech vacancy rate remains near an all-time high. In 2025, computed tomography had one of the highest vacancy rates at 19.4%, up from 17.7% in 2023.¹

In response, many health systems have implemented cross-training programs to try to alleviate rad tech shortages. While health systems often adopt cross‑training to solve immediate coverage gaps, the program’s success hinges less on the training itself and far more on how roles, incentives, and risk are structured to fully integrate cross-training into the rad tech workforce. This expert insight shares the following five key design principles that organizations should follow for an effective cross-training program.