Spotlight On: Ralph Amado Castillo, CEO, Morgan Medical Center
May 2025 — In an interview with Invest:, Ralph Amado Castillo, CEO of Morgan Medical Center, discussed innovation in rural healthcare, the hospital’s clinical and infrastructure milestones, and his leadership vision. “Everything we do comes back to the patient,” he said.
What have been the key milestones for Morgan Medical Center over the past year?
Celebrating six years in our new facility was a major milestone for Morgan Medical Center. It marked not just time passed but validation of the vision and effort behind building a replacement hospital. When we proposed the idea, there was vocal skepticism — some believed it would fail and burden the county. Yet here we are, over six years later, operating independently and stronger than ever.
Clinically, one of our most significant milestones was performing the first-ever mastectomy in Morgan County. Led by our dedicated breast cancer specialist, this groundbreaking procedure marked a new chapter in local cancer care. It was soon followed by a second mastectomy and subsequent reconstructive surgery – another first. These were not only historic achievements for Morgan Medical, but also profoundly meaningful moments for the patients and families we proudly serve.
What recent investments or expansions have positioned Morgan Medical for long-term growth?
We entered a $4.5 million agreement with GE Healthcare to upgrade three major diagnostic imaging systems. For a hospital our size, that’s a substantial investment, and a testament to how fiscally sound and forward-looking we are. The upgrades include a cardiac CT, a SPECT CT for nuclear medicine, and a transition from a mobile MRI to a state-of-the-art, in-house system.
Recognizing our growth, we also began planning major renovations and expansions, even before our sixth anniversary. We’ve outgrown our space because of our commitment to serving Morgan County and surrounding areas. Our goal is to evolve as a hospital and bring more advanced services closer to home. While some care may still require travel, many procedures, including robotic-assisted joint replacements, are now available locally. Patients can often be home within hours, compared to multi-day recoveries in the past.
How would you describe the state of healthcare in Georgia today, and what role does Morgan Medical play in shaping the ecosystem?
We receive $1 million annually from Morgan County to serve the uninsured, which we allocate fully. To put it in perspective, we’re projected to deliver nearly $9 million in gross uninsured care — a significant gap. Still, we comply with federal law, treating all patients who come through our doors.
This year, we’re conducting our triennial Community Health Needs Assessment. The report, reviewed in June and posted in July, gathers community input on local healthcare needs. Past assessments highlighted the need for more physicians, education, and transportation. While we can’t solve transportation alone, we’re improving access by recruiting more specialists.
Cardiology remains a major gap. Currently, residents must travel over an hour to see a cardiologist. We’re actively recruiting a non-interventionist cardiologist, which will be a significant investment given the high compensation for that specialty. We’re also expanding our primary care team with more family practice and internal medicine physicians.
We’re investing in community education as well, expanding public health classes and engaging civic groups to increase awareness and gather feedback. In parallel, we’re upgrading ER capabilities by bringing on more experienced emergency physicians. While many symptoms follow patterns, the ability to detect when something more serious is at play can make all the difference in outcomes.
How is Morgan Medical leveraging technology and innovation?
Morgan Medical is making a strategic investment in patient safety, staff efficiency, and long-term cost savings by upgrading to a new state of the art electronic medical record. This will reduce errors, streamline workflows, and help do more with every healthcare dollar.
Our biggest leap forward is in diagnostic imaging. We’re adding a SPECT CT, a cardiac CT, and a permanent MRI. Of these, the cardiac CT is the most significant, clinically and financially. It will allow us to detect coronary artery disease, evaluate chest pain, check heart function, and plan or monitor treatment. Coronary CTA can rule out significant blockages in the coronary arteries without needing an invasive procedure. If the CT shows clear or only mildly narrowed arteries, doctors can often avoid unnecessary heart catheterizations.
The cardiac CT, which costs $1.9 million, won’t be online until part of our building renovation is complete. Still, the fact that we can make this purchase reflects our financial strength and the commitment of our governing hospital authority — a board of Morgan County residents deeply invested in our mission.
We’re making exciting strides with our orthopedic team. We’ve welcomed a new hand specialist who is currently the only orthopedic surgeon in Georgia performing a groundbreaking thumb joint replacement. This innovative procedure uses a joint that functions like a miniature knee, restoring full hand mobility. Our hospital is the only one in the state offering this advanced surgery, and we’re proud to become a teaching site for this procedure. Surgeons from across Georgia and beyond will come to observe and learn, helping to spread the benefits of this breakthrough well beyond our community.
So, while not all progress is technological, our investments, from imaging to surgical innovation, demonstrate our commitment to advancing care and capability.
How do you balance the business side of healthcare with a focus on patient care?
It’s always about the patient. The business side only matters in that it enables us to deliver high-quality care. If we focus on the patient and the quality of our service, the finances will take care of themselves.
Our industry is constantly changing, whether through regulation, innovation, technology, or workforce dynamics. Managing across generations is part of that challenge. I’m a boomer with a different work ethic than many of the younger professionals entering the field today. But what I stress to my staff, leadership, and board is this: embrace change and never stop learning.
Whether it’s earning a new certification or going back to school, continual improvement is essential. Regardless of age or role, lifelong learning is key to growth.
How do you define and communicate your leadership philosophy at Morgan Medical?
Our vision statement is Patient Focused Center of Excellence which comes to life through what I call the three E’s: Evolution, Excellence, and Execution.
Evolution is the ongoing advancement of medical practice, powered by physician leadership. Medicine doesn’t evolve on its own — it takes committed physicians willing to step up and lead. Whether you’re in a rural hospital or a major academic center like Johns Hopkins, progress depends on engaged medical professionals driving change.
Excellence is our relentless pursuit of quality. While much of healthcare may operate at the level of averages, we believe our patients deserve more. True quality means never settling for “good enough.” Nurses, in particular, are key to this pursuit — they’re often the face of the patient experience. Patients remember the compassion, skill, and presence of their nurses, and that human connection is often as healing as any procedure.
Execution is about follow-through. It’s doing what needs to be done, every time. Systems exist for a reason, and consistency in care is critical. As Bill Belichick famously says, “Do your job.” When each of us does that, the patient wins.
At the heart of it all is the patient. Whether someone walks through our ER doors at 2:30 a.m. or arrives for specialty care, our goal is to give them the best possible outcome. That might mean treating them here or recognizing when a transfer is best. Either way, we strive to be their first call — the place people trust when something’s wrong. We may be small, but that’s our advantage. We know our patients by name. They are never just a number here.
For more information, visit:
