Radiology’s top organizations are making it clear: virtual supervision is here to stay, and federal policy needs to catch up.
In a pair of letters submitted this month, the Radiology Business Management Association (RBMA) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) continued to urge federal leaders to make remote supervision of diagnostic imaging exams a permanent option. The current CMS rule, introduced during the COVID-19 public health emergency, is set to expire at the end of this year.
The letters, sent to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, make a compelling case. Over the past four years, thousands of outpatient hospital departments, physician offices, and imaging centers have safely adopted virtual supervision workflows. The results? Improved access, reduced costs, and no evidence of overutilization or risk to patient safety.
Why It Matters
At Tether, we’ve seen firsthand how virtual direct supervision can expand care access, especially in rural areas, during off-hours, and for high-volume outpatient centers with staffing constraints. As RBMA noted, eliminating this flexibility now would reduce imaging capacity across the board, forcing more patients into hospital-based settings, where care is often delayed and more expensive.
ACR echoed those concerns, emphasizing that allowing real-time audio/video supervision enables more consistent access to care in underserved areas. They rightly call for making this model a formal part of the CMS definition of “direct supervision.”
It’s a Proven Model
What began as a pandemic-era solution has become a modern operational standard. Practices aren’t experimenting with remote supervision anymore, they’re relying on it to stay open and maintain quality.
Virtual supervision works. It’s safe, scalable, and compliant when implemented with real-time oversight, appropriate escalation protocols, and trained technologists on site.
What Comes Next
The push from RBMA and ACR is a strong step forward. But as CMS reviews the upcoming 2026 rule changes, imaging providers will need to stay engaged. Policymakers must hear directly from the physicians, technologists, and organizations using virtual supervision daily to support patient care.
Tether will continue advocating for practical, safe, and compliant virtual care models—and helping our partners navigate this evolving regulatory landscape.
Want a breakdown of the current supervision rules or a copy of our Safe Supervision Commitment? We’re happy to share.
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