Atlantic, IA— Cass Health officials today (Wednesday), announced that Dr. Elaine Berry will assume full-time responsibility for the role of Chief Medical Officer (CMO) this month. Dr. Berry has been serving in the role part-time while still managing an active medical practice over the last several months. By moving to full-time CMO, Dr. Berry will no longer offer appointments in clinic or provide nursing home rounds, a major shift for her and many patients.

“I want to express my appreciation to the community for the 34 years of support and caring. I am lucky to have a career that is truly my passion in life. Starting this new chapter, I hope to continue to add value to our health system and our patients’ lives,” said Dr. Berry.

As CMO, Dr. Berry will work in an administrative capacity focused on quality improvement processes, teaching, and mentoring. “This does not mean that I will not be involved in patient care, however. Behind the scenes, I will be teaching and consulting with providers. But my day-to-day work will focus more on how we provide care rather than actively providing patient care,” she said.

Dr. Elaine Berry (CCHS photo)

Cass Health CEO Brett Altman stated, “We are really blessed to have Dr. Berry in this role for our organization. Her expertise and leadership are the key ingredients we need at this time to continue our journey to be the best rural hospital in America.”

Dr. Berry’s current patients are encouraged to establish care with a new primary care provider at Atlantic Medical Center, RHC.