(Atlantic) The Iowa Medical Society and Copic announced this week that Dr. Elaine Berry is the 2025 IMS/Copic Physician Humanitarian Award recipient. This award is presented annually to honor a physician for volunteer medical services and contributions to their community, specifically those individuals who unassumingly volunteer outside the spectrum of their day-to-day lives.
Dr. Berry has been a cornerstone of the Cass County community since beginning her career at Cass Health in 1988. In her later years, she shared that it was during a high school event that she committed herself to a lifetime of Christian service.
Through 2022, she worked as a Family Medicine physician, primarily at Atlantic Medical Center and in satellite clinics in Griswold and Massena. She also cared for patients in the hospital, the obstetrics unit, and the Emergency Department. Her other roles have included Cass County Medical Examiner, Medical Director for Cass County volunteer Emergency Services, Hospice Medical Director, and her current position as Chief Medical Officer at Cass Health. She has been instrumental in disaster preparedness, EMS advocacy, advancing electronic health records and quality medical care, and mentoring future medical professionals. Dr. Berry has also participated in medical mission trips to Egypt, India, Romania, Dominican Republic, and Honduras, has supported newly immigrated families in her church community, and has been active in her local church with the worship team and teaching youth.
Each year, the recipient of this award is asked to designate a $10,000 donation from Copic to be provided to a healthcare-related nonprofit organization within their community. Dr. Berry has designated the Cass Health Foundation to receive this donation to support the Nurse Apprenticeship program, an innovative initiative to train nurses and address the healthcare workforce shortage. Dr. Berry says it is incredible what the Cass Health Foundation is doing to help this area. For instance, there is a huge shortage of healthcare workers, especially nurses, since COVID.
The Copic Humanitarian award was established in 2001 in memory of Harold E. “Hal” Williamson. Hal was one of the first non-physician board members of Copic. His inspiration and dedication to going above and beyond led to the establishment of the Copic Medical Foundation. Today, Copic collaborates with state medical societies to offer this award. Dr. Berry says working in this community has been an absolute pleasure since 1988.
Copic is a nationally renowned provider of medical professional liability insurance. Recognized for industry-leading patient safety and risk management programs, Copic supports and educates healthcare professionals and helps make medicine safer for all.
