The financial realities in rural healthcare in particular are quite challenging. That’s why I was really excited by the opportunity to talk with Bryant Blay, CFO at Montgomery County Memorial Hospital + Clinics (MCMH) in southwest Iowa, about some of the financial realities they face. A big part of their efforts to manage these financial challenges included leveraging the Multiview ERP to give them more visibility into their financial systems and reframe the culture of the organization. Joining the conversation was Mike Johnson, President and CEO of Multiview ERP, who shared his perspective on why many rural healthcare organizations struggle to access the financial clarity they need and what’s changing.
As we dove into the discussion, Johnson shared some of the reasons why he thinks rural healthcare organizations are often underserved by traditional financial systems. He noted that there’s a growing expectation for vendors to play a more active role in ensuring their software products deliver value in real-world settings.
More broadly, Johnson pointed to a shift in how healthcare organizations are starting to evaluate AI and other modern systems, not just in terms of the capabilities offered, but by the business needs met by the software. With advancements in AI, software is easier to produce than ever before, so there’s more of it out there. However, the challenge is for clients to remain “outcomes-focused.”
That focus on outcomes is especially important for organizations like MCMH. As Blay explained, rural providers can’t rely on external support to solve financial challenges. MCMH staff need to use their own data on revenue and financial health to guide decisions. They also need to maintain strong ties to partners and vendors, in order to get advice when needed.
That responsibility is even more significant given MCMH’s role in the community. While a rural hospital, MCMH is the largest employer in its county, and therefore has an additional commitment to stay solvent in order to protect its staff’s jobs and care for the community.
In the past five years, MCMH went from having different EHRs in each department to unifying around one EHR and modernizing their financial system with Multiview’s ERP solution that was integrated with the EHR. Many previously paper-based processes, especially in the back office, are now digitized. Increased visibility into the financial side led to a culture change at the organization with great outcomes.
By integrating the data across systems, clinical staff now have better visibility into how their work connects to the organization’s financial performance. This transparency helps teams make more informed decisions and align care delivery with operational sustainability —without taking focus away from patient care. That’s a meaningful outcome for any CFO.
At MCMH, that shift is already playing out in practice. As Blay explained, having real-time visibility allows staff to respond more quickly to budget changes and plan more effectively. It also makes it easier to evaluate new partnerships, since the hospital has a clearer understanding of the volume and financial requirements needed to support them.
Building on this, Johnson noted that many healthcare organizations understandably prioritize clinical investments, sometimes leaving back-office systems under-resourced. He added that modern financial and revenue solutions can help bridge that gap, supporting strong clinical care and more sustainable financial performance long term.
Check out our interview with Montgomery County Memorial Hospital + Clinics and Multiview ERP to learn more about how a modern, EHR connected ERP can impact patient care and financial success in rural health.
Learn more about Multiview ERP: https://multiviewcorp.com/
Learn more about Montgomery County Memorial Hospital + Clinics: https://www.mcmh.org/
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