In one of Alaska’s most remote communities, a small clinic bridged a critical care gap by empowering its own lab techs to grow into confident imaging professionals through flexible, expert-led training.
The Institution
Iliuliuk Family and Health Services (IFHS) has provided routine and emergency care to communities on the western islands of Alaska since 1972. Located on picturesque Unalaska Island, IFHS provides diagnostic x-ray and CT, as well as an array of lab testing services. Unalaska Island’s remote location and limited telecommunications infrastructure can pose challenges to obtaining necessary equipment, test results, staff and training.
“I’m very impressed that they’re tackling this. The technicians are very well trained - even better than some people who actually went to school to become x-ray techs. ” - Greg Cooper, RT(R), Radiology Director, Iliuliuk Family and Health Services
The Challenge
Recruiting diagnostic imaging staff to a remote hospital.
Facilities like IFHS, who operate in such remote areas, are often called upon to provide a wide range of services to their communities, from routine and emergency care to specialized procedures. While the staff at IFHS, which includes several laboratory technicians, are well known for providing compassionate care to patients, prior to 2023, key diagnostic imaging services were missing from their repertoire.
In 2023, IFHS decided to grow its offerings to include diagnostic x-ray and later CT imaging after obtaining their first CT machine. This was a pivotal moment that would allow IFHS to provide critical diagnostic services, like detecting head bleeds, that are essential for a community so far from specialized trauma care. However, the decision to offer these services also created a need for qualified diagnostic imaging staff. The population of Unalaska Island hovers at just over 4,200, and its remote location makes recruiting staff with specialized training challenging. So, IFHS contracted with Greg Cooper, who was managing a clinic providing IFHS with x-ray reading services, to solve this challenge.
The Solution
Upskill existing lab techs to perform X-ray and CT scans.
Alaska law allows certified laboratory technicians to cross-train into x-ray imaging, so Mr. Cooper recommended upskilling existing staff to meet the new demand for radiography technicians. However, Mr. Cooper knew it would be important to find a training program that could overcome the limitations of IFHS’s remote location.
Mr. Cooper works remotely from Washington state and notes of his experience working remotely with IFS staff: "It’s hard because I’m not on-site all the time and it’s hard to draw a picture or answer questions remotely for the staff." The training program he recommended would need to guide IFHS staff asynchronously through the material covered on the ARRT® Registry exam while providing strong visual aids.
To deliver on this tall order, Mr. Cooper recommended Clover Learning. Mr. Cooper was already familiar with Clover Learning's CT ARRT® Registry exam prep resources, including courses and practice exam questions, saying, “I found the coverage on Clover Learning to be very thorough." Clover Learning became the go-to resource for their laboratory technicians to upskill to X-ray techs and then seamlessly transition to CT training. Clover Learning’s on-demand content allowed staff to complete self-guided training according to their own schedule.
The Result
A highly qualified staff with the diverse skill sets needed to serve remote communities.
Clover Learning empowered IFHS staff to embrace new technologies and expand their diagnostic capabilities, directly translating to improved patient care for their remote community. According to Cooper, in 2025 the staff now performs an average of two CT scans per day. The staff, already highly proficient, continues to use the platform, eager to expand their knowledge in areas like angiography chest, head and neck, demonstrating their unwavering commitment to continuous learning. As Mr. Cooper notes, "You never know all of it. I’ve been in radiology 27 years and I don’t know everything." This philosophy underscores how Clover Learning isn't just a training tool, but an ongoing resource for professional development.
Mr. Cooper’s work with IFHS vividly illustrates how a flexible, comprehensive, and accessible learning platform like Clover Learning can bridge geographical divides and cultivate a highly competent and confident workforce, ultimately enhancing the quality of care delivered to communities, no matter how remote.
