Norma Jean Morgan, who for years served as the CEO of Effingham Health System, has found a new place to call home and a new career path to travel as she is now the Deputy Chief of Healthcare Facilities for the Georgia Department of Community Health in Atlanta.

     “I contacted the Georgia Department of Community Health to learn of any positions they might have available that I felt like I was qualified to do,” Morgan said on how she came to apply for the job. “That’s how I found out about this position.”

     Morgan’s primary responsibilities with her new job are to direct programs under the Healthcare Facility Regulation Division (HFRD) office. Morgan is responsible for the management, oversight and leadership of the HRFD licensing section.

     The HRFD completes the survey and certification process for 24 provider types within the state. Some of the providers include hospitals, nursing homes, rural health clinics, mammography units, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) labs, hospice, home health, personal care homes, dialysis units, ambulatory surgery and home care.

     “We also manage the complaints that come in for each provider type,” Morgan said. “Having been a provider for over 40 years, this was a great opportunity for me to lend that experience to the Government side of trying to keep facilities certified, keep them in compliance of the many regulations that we are required to be in compliance with – not only on the state level but on the federal level. I’m just really excited about the opportunity.”

     The goal of the HFRD is to assist providers of care to meet compliance requirements set by the state and federal government through the survey and certification process.

     Morgan leaves behind a long list of accomplishments and looks to add more with her new position.

     “When I left Effingham Health System, we were at the top of our game,” Morgan said. “We had a positive financial bottom line with several million dollars in the bank as a reserve. We were recently recertified as a Joint Commission accredited facility, we had received another deficiency free state survey in our nursing home, we had achieved a Gold Baldrige Quality Step III award of excellence from the American Health Care Association, I had received the Eli Pick award for Excellence in Leadership from AHCA and I had served as the Chair of the Board for the nursing home association in Georgia, GHCA.” 

     With her new career path comes new obstacles and challenges – Morgan feels she can more than handle the job.

     “Learning all the ins and outs of 24 programs and what regulations they have to meet is a challenge,” Morgan said. “Also, learning what the stipulations are for compliance – when they’re not in compliance, learning what it takes to get them back in compliance – and to not have a situation where you have to fine them or give penalties are the most egregious things that can happen. We don’t want that to happen – we want a provider to be a good provider and to stay in compliance with all of the regulations.”

    Morgan reflected back on her time in Effingham and looked forward to the future in Atlanta.

    “I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work for the Effingham Health System as the Chief Executive Officer and Nursing Home Administrator,” Morgan said. “Now I have turned my expertise and skills as a good leader and administrator toward Atlanta. I am pleased to be a part of an organization that appreciates my many years of service to others and has welcomed me as a new resource of experience.”