2026 Recipient of the Outstanding Physician Award Presented by Lillibridge Healthcare Services

 For 13 years, Lillibridge Healthcare Services has honored a physician demonstrating outstanding leadership and dedicated service to Atrium Health Cabarrus and the Cabarrus Healthcare Foundation.

Dr. Erika Steinbacher, a dedicated family physician, educator, and healthcare leader is  a cornerstone of Atrium Health Cabarrus and the broader Cabarrus County community for nearly three decades. Since joining Cabarrus Family Medicine/Atrium Health in 1996, she has served as a clinician, mentor, residency program director, and currently as Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine with Wake Forest School of Medicine. Her unwavering commitment to compassionate patient care, medical education, and community health embodies the spirit of the Lillibridge Outstanding Physician Award.

Dr. Steinbacher is the Designated Institutional Official for Atrium Health Cabarrus, and oversees the continuum of graduate medical education, leading initiatives that strengthen residency training, improve patient care, and expand access to quality primary care throughout Cabarrus County and neighboring rural communities. Her leadership also extends into system-wide efforts focused on patient safety, physician well-being, rural care integration, and clinical quality improvement.

In addition to her clinical and educational leadership, Dr. Steinbacher plays a significant role in advancing the mission of the Cabarrus Healthcare Foundation. As Co-Chair of the Physician Leadership Council, she has championed philanthropic initiatives that improve community health and support clinical innovation. Through her leadership, Foundation-supported programs have advanced cervical cancer prevention efforts, expanded chronic pain care models, and increased healthcare access for vulnerable populations.

Beyond her institutional contributions, Dr. Steinbacher has devoted more than 25 years of service to community organizations including the Community Free Clinic, Special Olympics, and Cabarrus County high school athletics. Her lifelong dedication to service continues to leave a lasting impact on patients, families, colleagues, and future generations of physicians.