For Amy Hickey, accounting has never been just about spreadsheets, it’s about stewardship and long-term success. As an Assistant Controller and Senior Accountant at DZA, Amy brings more than a decade of healthcare finance experience to her clients. Her work spans complex reconciliations, month-end close, audit preparation, and Medicare cost report support. But what truly sets her apart is perspective. Amy understands healthcare finance from the inside out, since she has experienced it at every level of an organization.
Laying the Foundation
Amy’s career began in public accounting and payroll, where she worked closely with individuals and small businesses across multiple industries. Those early years built a strong technical foundation and sharpened her attention to detail. But it was her transition into healthcare that shaped the trajectory of her career.
Starting in patient accounts, Amy worked directly with insurance claims and billing questions. That frontline experience gave her firsthand insight into how reimbursement impacts both providers and patients. From there, she progressed into senior accounting and leadership roles, ultimately serving as Controller for a rural hospital.
Along the way, Amy was fortunate to work with mentors who invested in her growth, modeling integrity, strategic thinking, and steady decision-making under pressure. Their guidance helped shape not only her technical expertise but also her leadership style. “I’ve been incredibly fortunate to learn from people who cared deeply about both the numbers and the mission behind them,” she reflects.
As Controller, she led annual budgeting processes, coordinated external audits, managed payroll compliance and reporting, and oversaw critical regulatory filings. She also played a key role in Medicare cost reporting and oversight of the 340B drug pricing program, which directly influenced long-term organizational sustainability. Just as impactful as the technical work, was the opportunity to collaborate with dedicated hospital leadership teams committed to serving their communities. Working alongside organizations whose mission centered on patient care reinforced the responsibility and purpose behind strong financial stewardship.
Expanding into Strategic Financial Analysis
Later, in her role as a Business Development Analyst, Amy expanded her focus beyond traditional accounting functions into strategic financial analysis. She evaluated both existing and proposed service lines, analyzed payer reimbursement trends, reviewed payer contract proposals, and supported price transparency compliance efforts. By combining operational insight with financial modeling, she helped leadership assess growth opportunities, understand reimbursement risk, and make informed decisions about the future of healthcare services in their communities.
Each step added another layer of understanding — operational, regulatory, and strategic.
“I’ve always been drawn to structure and problem-solving,” Amy says. “Healthcare finance is complex, but at its core it’s about ensuring organizations can continue serving their communities. That responsibility means something.”
At DZA, Amy now applies that depth of experience to support healthcare clients navigating reimbursement challenges, regulatory change, and financial strategy. Her background centers on healthcare reimbursement, including Medicare Cost Reports, contract analysis, budget development and audit preparation. She brings a practical understanding of how financial decisions impact daily operations as well as long-term sustainability.
What Amy enjoys most about her work is bringing clarity to complexity. “When leadership teams feel confident in their numbers and understand what they mean, they can make better decisions. Helping create that confidence is incredibly rewarding.”
Education, Values, and a Commitment to Long-Term Impact
A graduate of Eastern Oregon University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an Accounting concentration, Amy also holds an Associate of Applied Science in Accounting Technology from Blue Mountain Community College. She remains deeply connected to Eastern Oregon and values living in a rural community where relationships matter and the impact of financial leadership is visible.
That sense of community alignment is one of the reasons DZA was the right fit. As an independently owned firm, DZA prioritizes long-term relationships and local impact. “There’s a strong sense of accountability here, to clients, to each other, and to the communities we serve,” Amy explains. “That alignment matters.”
Outside the office, Amy enjoys training, staying active with her family, and spending time outdoors in Eastern Oregon. The same long-term mindset she brings to financial leadership shows up in her personal pursuits as well.
Most people might see accounting as numbers on a page. Amy sees it differently, as a way to strengthen organizations, support healthcare access, and contribute to the stability of the communities she calls home.
For her, that’s what being “behind the numbers” is really about.
To reach Amy, please contact ahickey@dza.cpa.
