Horizon Health Announces New CEO

Jay Carmichael to start January 20

With more than 10 years of rural health experience, Jay Carmichael has been named Horizon Health President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 20.

His appointment was approved by Horizon Health’s Board of Directors. Ollie Smith, former President & CEO, retired at the end of 2024 after nearly 40 years of service to the organization.

As the new top administrator, Jay wants to continue Horizon Health’s history of delivering high quality care and a positive patient experience.

“Rural health is often overlooked and needs to continue to be a beacon of hope,” he said. “It provides an opportunity to know people on a first-name basis. Horizon Health’s know-your-neighbor growth over the last several years shows a passion to serve people.”

Jay is transitioning from his position as vice president & chief operating officer of Southwell, a rural health system in southeast Georgia. In this role, he served as the lead on-site administrator for Southwell Medical in Adel, Georgia, which consists of a 20-bed rural hospital, and a 95-bed skilled nursing facility. Southwell’s network spans 240 licensed beds, over 30 physician clinics, and employs over 2,700 people, providing comprehensive healthcare services across a 12-county region.

Southwell Medical recently earned a 2024 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in Patient Perspective from the Chartis Center for Rural Health. The award recognizes top quartile performance among rural hospitals in quality, outcomes, and/or patient perspective.

Prior to Southwell, Jay spent five years with Oracle Health as a business development leader for the southern part of the US. Oracle Health is a US-based, global provider of health information technology platforms and services.

When he arrives at Horizon Health, Jay plans to immerse himself in the organization’s rich history, strong culture, and dedicated people. By leveraging Horizon’s culture and his past experiences, he aims to collaboratively shape the future trajectory of Horizon Health.

“Organizations are not successful without their people,” he explained. “There is a lot to celebrate and a lot of opportunity to continue pushing the bar of rural healthcare. I am excited to learn the organization and determine the next steps for growth and operations.”

Rural healthcare is critical to sustain economic development in small communities, Jay added. It can help spur business, industry, jobs, and housing opportunities.

“Healthcare plays an instrumental role in community development. And I see a lot of potential for Edgar County and the surrounding communities,” he said.

About Jay Carmichael

Jay has a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Georgia. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator.

Jay was born and raised on St. Simons, an island off the Georgia coast. He and his wife, Kelli, have a daughter, Jules, age 3. Kelli is a lead project manager for Oracle. The couple has ties to the Midwest with family in Kansas City, Iowa, Nebraska, and Canton, Illinois. In his free time, Jay enjoys traveling, hunting, golfing, and cooking