Consultant Merlyn Knapp studied business and economics before pursuing a career directly assisting poor to moderate performing healthcare institutions increase revenue flows and manage successful mergers and acquisitions. Merlyn Knapp trained as an accountant at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Knapp graduated with a Bachelor’s in Accounting from the 13,000-student state-funded university. A few years later, Merlyn Knapp enrolled in an MBA program at Rockhurst University (formerly Rockhurst College) in Kansas City, Missouri, with the intention of gaining a valuable business background. Within two short years, Knapp graduated from the nearly 100-year-old Jesuit school with a Master’s in General Business and a solid foundation in corporate strategies and concepts.

In 2003, Merlyn Knapp, having gained practical knowledge of the healthcare industry over the years, directed his business and economics acumen toward aiding struggling medical corporations. Knapp formed and maintained ownership of the consultancy Solutions in Healthcare Financial Management with the goal of reducing operating expanses and implementing financial turnaround plans. By working as an Interim CFO and Controller for hospitals and health clinics, Merlyn Knapp helps institutions gain as much as $2 million in increased cash flow. Knapp’s measures have boosted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization $400,000 to $2 million in many cases.

Merlyn Knapp delivers a variety of skills to ailing healthcare businesses. Knapp develops and implements profitable revenue cycle strategies through better billing and collecting arrangements, some of which have generated earnings in excess of $1.7 million. Merlyn Knapp has managed $100 million projects involving bond issues, leasing arrangements, hospital and equipment procurements, renovation, and new construction plans. Merlyn Knapp can help a hospital or medical clinic closely track its performance through budgeting tools and evaluate its need for growth or acquisition with feasibility studies. In addition, Merlyn Knapp will negotiate and refine third-party payment contracts to gain greater reimbursements. Merlyn Knapp mentors and trains staff for improved performance in an effort to keep his advisory plans on track. In addition to preparing feasibility assessments, Merlyn Knapp has had success designing liquidity repayment schedules, gaining an overview of hospital statistical facts, and creating plans for mergers and procurements.

Outside of his consulting firm, Merlyn Knapp is an active community participant and a devoted member of several healthcare organizations. An avid golfer, Knapp divides his time between the golf greens and the school and church groups with which he volunteers. Merlyn Knapp is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, a national organization for CPAs. Knapp is also a board-certified fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, an international society for healthcare managers, and the Healthcare Financial Management Association, a membership society of 35,000-plus CFOs, controllers, and accountants all involved in healthcare management.