Our History

Since its founding by Al Van Kirk over 25 years ago,  King’s Medical Group has been guided by his fundamental belief that everyone should have access to state-of-the-art imaging technology, therapeutic services and compassionate care.

In the late 70's and early 80's, Van Kirk had been struck by the inability of small hospitals to provide CT services. Lack of capital and uncertainty surrounding new technology investments were often reasons for not adding new diagnostic technology.  Consequently, patients had to be sent to distant cities for CT scans, and specialists, including radiologists, were choosing to work where diagnostic imaging equipment was located.

Van Kirk’s experience and the life-changing situation surrounding the birth of his son, coupled with his concern for underserved patients, motivated him to address a major healthcare issue within rural markets: the need for diagnostic imaging and specialized caregivers.

The name King’s was selected because the company was founded to honor Christ the King, and to serve the needs of others.

Serving the underserved with MRI

The launch of King’s Medical was modest as the companies initial capitalization was only $54,200. However, the company grew as increasing numbers of hospitals discovered that they were unable to provide required services without improved radiology services. When MRI came to the forefront as being a next-generation diagnostic technology, Van Kirk introduced MRI to his CT customers.

In the late 80’s, placing MRI in rural hospital settings was still considered unproven, and a costly risk. The company found out how to meet this challenge and is credited with providing the first stand alone (non-mobile) MRI scanners in sub 100 bed hospitals. Physicians learned that MRI could improve patient care thus utilization increased, and the hospitals and King’s enjoyed the resulting financial benefits.

Van Kirk solved the rural hospital MRI accessibility problem by introducing a new concept for diagnostic imaging, fee-for-service. This arrangement enabled rural hospitals to add diagnostic imaging capabilities without the capital investment and financial risk associated with buying the equipment themselves.

King’s recognized their risk could be offset by higher scan volumes. As a result, Van Kirk hired marketers, similar to those selling for pharmaceutical companies, to educate physicians on the use of, and need for MRI. This concept increased MRI and CT utilization and, as a result, both the hospitals and King’s enjoyed the resulting financial benefits.

As new technologies increased the diagnostic imaging market, King’s recognized the patient advantages imaging centers held over hospital imaging departments. King's entered the imaging center market in 1989 after purchasing two MRI units. Centers were opened in Oneida TN and Pekin IL, with additional centers in Salt Lake City, Tallahassee, Charleston, Buffalo, Dallas, Ft. Worth and Layton being launched in subsequent years.

King’s continued to focus on MRI partnerships, primarily in underserved markets, and with hospitals that required King’s financial resources or core competency support in order to achieve and maintain success.

As King’s added imaging centers the company continued to increase and strengthen their support service competencies. Project management, Information Technology, marketing and media services, clinical services and other tools added value to hospital partnerships while ensuring company-owned businesses also remained successful.

King’s continues to grow, and maximize its imaging center potential through opening new centers and joint ventures. And Al Van Kirk’s vision of bringing high-quality healthcare services to underserved markets and patients is expanding.

Underserved With Cancer Care

King’s leadership had for some time been aware that accessible cancer care was needed in rural markets.  Comprehensive cancer treatment is most often based in major markets, placing considerable stress on rural market patients forced to travel to distant treatment centers for care.

Transitioning their highly successful MRI business models, King’s now partners with rural hospitals to provide advanced cancer care. King’s also provides services that make it easier for rural hospitals to recruit oncology physicians.  King’s continues to enhance its knowledge base and competencies in order to counsel partners in the planning, development, operations, and marketing of cancer care centers.

Keenly aware of another primary concern for every hospital, King’s also places significant focus on measures to improve physician satisfaction. King’s recognizes that imaging and oncology physician partnerships can provide significant physician satisfaction and, as a result, King's utilizes one of its core competencies, partnership development, to benefit hospitals and physician groups wanting to open outpatient centers. A second opportunity to enhance physician satisfaction utilizes another of King's competencies—structuring joint ventures with physicians. These affiliations may include medical office buildings, imaging centers and hospitals.

Although King’s is a successful organization with a growing client base and promising future, it remains unswervingly committed to the Christian values that serve as a solid foundation for all we do. We’re servants, functioning under a God-given mandate to make quality, compassionate care accessible to everyone— especially in underserved markets.

Albert C. Van Kirk President and Chief Executive Officer