The big news last week was the retirement of Norma Jean Morgan, the CEO of Effingham Health Services, which includes our growing hospital.
I will say first; yes, Norma Jean is my friend and has been for years.

From there I will go on to say that, yes, the rumors are legion as to why her retirement at this moment. I confess that I don’t know everything that went into this decision but what I do know is that her hard work, her vision, and ability has given us a hospital that we can be proud of.

The Effingham Hospital is a hospital that has gained recognition in high circles of the health care industry that it is one of few rural hospitals that is surviving and even growing in this tough time for rural hospitals.

When she returned as CEO in 2005, it was commonly known that the hospital was at death’s door for its very existence. Now we have a hospital that has been held high as an example of one that is growing and providing excellent services to the community.

In an organization as large and as diverse the Effingham Health Services, with the many services that must be delivered by the hospital, there are many issues and differences as to the course of action. The chairman of the board states that the hospital is restructing and reorganizing in the plan to become a non-profit. This, by the way, is the same wording used by the Norma Jean in regard to positions that had been vacate earlier.

There may be a lot that I don’t know. But this I do know.

We, as individuals and a community, owe Norma Jean Morgan more than a few words of praise for bringing our hospital back to life and bringing it to the fore front of the small hospital world. I am one, of many, who feel that without her dedication, know-how and untiring effort since she took over as CEO in 2005 that we probably would not have a Effingham Hospital today.

So I say, “thank you Norma Jean, you have given us a medical facility that we take pride in and we are glad to know that Effingham has this hospital just down the road. You have earned your retirement, rest on your laurels and enjoy your life, your family and your friends.”