03/23/2026
Russell Adams, MD, a physician who has been the longtime Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for UnityPoint Health โ Waterloo, has announced his plans to retire effective April 6.
Dr. Adamsโ will take the next few weeks to transition out of his role, while Dr. Pradeep Ramesh, MD, will assume the Waterloo marketโs CMO duties on an interim basis.
Dr. Adams is an Iowa native and began his career at Waterlooโs Allen Hospital in 1982. He has seen technology dramatically change the healthcare landscape but has continued to lean on the values he learned early in his career. ๐
โI heard sometimes about the stresses patients had in interactions with physicians,โ Dr. Adams said recently. โWhen I decided to become a physician, I said I never wanted to be the type anyone would express those concerns about. That molded me into the type of person Iโve tried to be my entire career.
โJust because Iโm a physician doesnโt mean Iโm superior to someone else. Iโm part of the team providing care. Iโve had the joy of being a physician and part of that is never feeling like you know everything. You can learn from everyone.โ
As significant as Dr. Adamsโ tenure has been, his family has impacted Iowa health care even longer. His mother, Barb Adams, worked in pediatrics in Waterloo and was the head nurse on that unit at Allen Hospital. She later served as a volunteer. In addition, Dr. Adamsโ aunt, Jaclyne Ellis, was a head nurse in the surgery department and a nurse supervisor.
โThe other part I learned along the way is you have to respect people,โ Dr. Adams said. โWhen people come to see you as a care provider โ whether youโre a nurse or a doctor โ oftentimes they are afraid. They may not say it, but theyโre afraid youโre going to tell them something they donโt want to hear. You have to acknowledge that and make sure youโre respectful and show you care about them as a person.โ
โDr. Adamsโ impact on the hospital and our organization has been immeasurable,โ says Carolyn Barko, Interim President for UnityPoint Health โ Waterloo. โHis professionalism and dignity have been staples over the last 44 years, and he will be missed.โ
Dr. Ramesh has served as a hospitalist and the Medical Director of Hospitalists at Allen Hospital since 2012, bringing extensive clinical expertise and strong leadership experience to this role. Heโs deeply engaged in the local medical community, having previously served as President of the UnityPoint Health โ Allen Hospital Medical Staff and chaired the Credentials Committee. He currently serves as a member of the UnityPoint Health โ Waterloo Board of Directors. In addition to his new responsibilities, Dr. Ramesh will continue his work as a hospitalist.
Dr. Ramesh earned his undergraduate degree from National College in Bangalore, India, and his medical degree from Bangalore Medical College. He also holds a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of Iowa and completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. In addition, heโs completed Physician Leadership Training through the American Association for Physician Leaders.
