I spent 17 years in VA healthcare finance and worked my way up from student intern to chief financial officer of the same health system. About eight of those years were at CFO level, over health systems with total annual funding authority up to about $750 million and roughly 2,000 to 2,500 employees. I now consult independently in healthcare disputes, and I do my own financial data work, so large billing, payroll and ledger datasets don't need a separate analyst.
Practice focus
I examine how a health system's money, controls and governance actually worked: whether financial controls and separation of duties functioned or were overridden, how budgets, incentives and compensation shaped decisions, what the organization's own reports and audits showed and how leadership acted on them, and, where controls failed, who benefited. I work from the institution's own policies, records and financial data, and I don't offer clinical, medical coding or legal opinions.
Hospital finances and cost reports
Budgets, costs, revenue and financial condition of hospitals and health systems, including analysis of their public Medicare and Medicaid cost reports.
Hospital staffing and salary budgets
How workforce budgets are set, forecast and spent.
Hospital financial controls and governance
Internal controls, separation of duties, audits and board oversight.
Incentives and compensation
How incentive pay is structured, and what financial pressures the organization's records show.
Billing and reimbursement
Third-party billing, collections, accounts receivable and the revenue cycle.
Financial data analysis
Large general ledger, payroll, timekeeping and billing datasets, linked across systems and analyzed at the transaction level in Python and SQL.
Experience
-
October 2025 - PresentFayetteville, AR
Principal, O'Meara Financial Consulting
Litigation support in healthcare disputes, and expert advisory work in healthcare finance.
-
August 2018 - September 2025Fayetteville, AR
Chief Financial Officer / Financial Manager
Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Directed all financial operations for a multi-facility health system: total annual funding authority up to about $750 million and a finance team of more than 20.
Forecast the $260 million salary budget and the system's health insurance reimbursement by payer, and worked with the VA's regional billing and collections center to reconcile collections and escalate aged and unbilled accounts.
No findings or corrective action plans in audits of the finance operation for six consecutive years.
-
November 2016 - August 2018Oklahoma City, OK
Assistant Chief Financial Officer / Acting Chief Financial Officer
Oklahoma City VA Health Care System (Level 1A, VA's highest complexity designation), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Acting CFO for about 13 months, with full responsibility for managing the budget, accounting, payroll and financial reporting while four senior leadership posts were vacant.
-
May 2014 - November 2016
Budget Officer / Supervisory Budget Analyst
Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks
Supervised the budget from preparation through spending, along with payroll oversight and financial analysis for management decisions. Timekeeping audits reached 100% compliance.
-
October 2008 - May 2014
Supervisory Accountant / Operating Accountant / Student Intern
Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks
Supervised seven staff in accounting and financial operations. Passed four unannounced audits in one year with no findings.
Education, training and service
- B.S., Business Administration - Accounting, Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas, 2011
- Federal internal control training and program administration (OMB Circular A-123) throughout federal service
- Former Member, Board of Directors, NW Arkansas Federal Credit Union (2012-2017); also served on its Supervisory Committee, overseeing the credit union's audits
Working with me
- Conflicts checkThe names of the parties, counsel on both sides, the court, and any hospitals or health systems involved, with a one-line description of the issue.
- A short callScope, timing and fit.
- Engagement agreement and retainerIn writing, before any work begins.
- MaterialsSent once the agreement is signed.
I take consulting and testifying engagements from plaintiff or defense counsel, and you work with me directly.
Please don't send records or case details until conflicts clear and a written engagement agreement is signed.
I return calls, texts and emails the same business day, and I send my fee schedule as soon as conflicts clear.
Opens a ready-to-send email with the conflicts details I need.
Use webmail? Open it in Outlook on the web or Gmail.
Contact
- Phone
- (479) 435-5130Call or text
- Text
- Send a text
- Contact card
- Save to contacts