Community Care: A Hospital CFO's Journey from the Bedside to the Board Room

The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) describes adaptability, compassion, and communication as three critical factors for effective healthcare leadership. Community healthcare presents a powerful yet often overlooked example of these mission-critical skills and responsibilities in action. Community health systems are also tight-knit and nimble. These qualities can’t be replicated by larger healthcare organizations.  

Emilee Stratton, CFO of Childress Regional Medical Center (CRMC), demonstrates a clear example of this collaboration and adaptability through her career journey from medical assistant to hospital CFO. 

In a recent podcast interview with Becker’s Hospital Review, Emilee revealed lessons learned from her unconventional career path at the award-winning medical center. During her 11-year tenure, the hospital received two top 20 hospital awards and been designated a top 100 hospital eight years in a row.  

Below are three of Emilee’s best practices for healthcare CFOs to ensure top-tier, local care. 

1. Say yes.

Emilee moved to the small town of Childress, Texas in 2014. She brought experience as a registered medical assistant and sought opportunities where she could put her medical training to work. There were no such jobs to be had in Childress, so Emilee took a receptionist role at CRMC and hoped a clinical position would open. 

Emilee quickly became known by back-office teams, providers, and executive leaders for her diligence, dedication, and willingness to say ‘yes.’ Her ability to adapt propelled Emilee into a new role in the billing department where she became familiar with the nuances of Medicare and Medicare Advantage. She then earned a promotion to office manager, and in 2018, after building a strong relationship with the CEO, Emilee was named CFO. 

Her rapid growth is a testament to what’s possible when leaders, especially community health professionals, tap into new skills and collaborate across their organization to solve problems. Her advancement also demonstrates that excellence cannot be achieved alone; healthcare is a team sport. 

2. Communicate.

Executive leaders, nurses, and coders all play an important role in both clinical and clerical responsibilities. In a small hospital like CRMC, each of these team members work just a couple of doors down from one another. Staff can easily walk down the hall to ask questions, field feedback, and collaborate across departments – a significant advantage over traditionally siloed healthcare environments. 

Emilee emphasized throughout her interview that communication is one of the most important factors to ensure quality patient care and fiscal sustainability. With clear communication, she can make more informed decisions and invest confidently with input from nurses, billers, physicians, facilities managers, social workers, and other executive leaders. 

3. Invest in your facility.

Emilee and her team evaluate, prioritize, and invest in technology that elevates each aspect of patient care. This technology must enhance provider-patient experiences, care delivery, and financial outcomes. The right tools ensure patients get the care they need and support clinical and back-office staff through each step in the process. 

CRMC makes strategic investments, especially as new technology emerges. Emilee chooses technology partners that are reliable and functional yet continue to innovate and adapt as community needs shift. She maintains a clear focus on the patient and works with partners such as TruBridge to empower care delivery and wellbeing in her facility. 

Local healthcare is vital to the thousands of residents across Childress and nearby communities. CRMC is a key care provider for Emilee’s family, friends, and neighbors, which makes her role as CFO personal. Emilee states, “Being the best rural hospital in Texas is not exactly about how much money you have in your bank account. It is about how you take care of the patient.” 

Want to learn more about Emilee’s journey from the bedside to the C-Suite?