June 8, 2026— Chicago, IL; For the second time in five years, Modern Healthcare magazine has named Francine (Fran) Witt, DNP, MBA, LNHA, RN, President and Chairman of Effingham Health System (EHS), to its list of the “50 Most Influential Clinical Executives.” This 2026 national recognition honors exceptional clinical leaders who combine their clinical knowledge and leadership skills to make a lasting impact on healthcare within and beyond their own organizations. (https://www.modernhealthcare.com/awards/50-most-influential-clinicians/2026/fran-witt-most-influential-clinical-executives-2026/)
Dr. Witt, who is a Doctor of Nursing Practice and a registered nurse by background, has spent the last decade at the helm of Effingham Health System, where she has been recognized for creating and sharing a sustainable model that redefines the future of rural healthcare.
“I am honored—and humbled—to be included on this list with leaders from many of our nation’s finest healthcare facilities,” comments Dr. Witt. “It recognizes the importance of rural healthcare in today’s environment, and underscores why we hold ourselves to the same high standards of the largest hospitals; prioritizing the patient experience, safety, quality people, best practices, modern technology, fiscal responsibility, and the highest potential outcomes.”
As noted in her magazine listing, Dr. Witt has spent the past decade at the helm of the Springfield, Georgia-headquartered non-profit healthcare system. During that period, she drove a 137% increase in gross revenue and a 102% increase in net revenue, while expanding services, adding new specialty services, and investing in technology.
In late 2024, she led the opening of Effingham Behavioral Health, an outpatient behavioral health practice. Following a successful 2025 pilot program in partnership with the Effingham County Board of Education, EHS will roll out a school-based behavioral health program in all public schools countywide for grades K-12 in Fall of 2026.
In 2025, Dr. Witt hosted the groundbreaking for a new Medical Office Complex to be built in South Effingham, at the corner of the new Effingham Parkway and Goshen Road. The new complex will allow EHS to increase access to care county-wide, while adding new and expanded specialty service lines close to home for local residents.
Speaking at the groundbreaking event, Jon Burns, Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives, said, “I believe what we see here in Effingham County, with progress in our healthcare system, is a model for success…for not only Georgians but our nation.”
Dr. Witt has become a prominent advocate for rural healthcare sustainability through industry and community leadership roles, including with the Georgia Hospital Association, Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals, and the American Hospital Association’s Rural Health Services Committee.