ABH | The Foundation Awards 2022 Charles Bolles Bolles-Rogers Award to Dr. William B. Wheeler & Dr. Ellen Coffey
Advocates for Better Health | The Foundation (formerly Twin Cities Medical Society Foundation) is pleased to award the 2022 Charles Bolles Bolles-Rogers Award to two physicians: Dr. William B. Wheeler and Dr. Ellen Coffey. Candidates for this “Physician of Excellence” award must be considered to be an outstanding physician by their peers. Candidates are nominated by their colleagues at Twin City area hospitals and/or clinics for achievement or leadership in medicine, contributions to clinical care, teaching and/or research.
Dr. Elisabeth Hurliman, Chair ABH| The Foundation, presenting the Charles Bolles Bolles-Rogers Award to Dr. Ellen Coffey
Ellen Coffey, MD started her medical career as an Occupational Therapist before attending medical school at the University of Minnesota. Following graduation, she completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center, where she spent her entire career as a physician, educator, and leader. Dr. Coffey is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, with subspecialty certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. She is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School.
Known as the consummate physician, Dr. Coffey excels at being an outstanding and well-sought-after educator, inspiring medical students and colleagues alike to focus on “what matters most”— the patient. She is dedicated to serving and advocating for the medically underserved and marginalized in our society. Co-founder of the Medicine-Psychiatry program at Hennepin Healthcare, she is passionate about providing care for patients struggling with chronic mental illness. In addition, Dr. Coffey served as the clinical champion leader in the American Board of Internal Medicine/Josiah Macy Foundation project focusing on “Improving the Quality of Care of Geriatric Patients”. She received additional training in Palliative Care, cementing her passion for caring for people who are suffering. Her commitment to leadership and education also led to the development of a metro-wide project for pressure ulcer training for residents. She has presented formally at numerous regional and national educational conferences.
Dr. Coffey is described by her colleagues as “A physician. A scientist. A role model. An advocate. And most of all, a friend.”
Dr. William B. Wheeler, MD accepts the 2022 Charles Bolles Bolles-Rogers award from ABH | The Foundation.
On October 12, 2022, William B. Wheeler, MD, was presented with the Charles Bolles Bolles-Rogers Award from ABH | The Foundation at a meeting of the Children’s Minnesota Professional Staff. Dr. Wheeler is a co-founder of and practices at Children’s Respiratory and Critical Care Specialists. Through his leadership, patients throughout the country experiencing complex pulmonary diseases and technology dependence can be cared for at home.
A native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Dr. Wheeler completed medical school at the University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences in Memphis, TN, a Pediatric residency at LeBonheur Children’s Medical Center in Memphis, and a Pediatric Pulmonology/Critical Care fellowship at Children’s Hospital Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Department of Pediatrics in Boston, MA. Prior to moving to Minnesota in 1988, Dr. Wheeler served as the Medical Director of Pulmonary Medicine/Cystic Fibrosis Center at Cook-Fort Worth Children’s Medical Center and as Medical Director of the Pulmonary Clinic/Pulmonary Function Laboratory, Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with subspecialty certification in both Pediatric Critical Care and Pediatric Pulmonology, Dr. Wheeler, along with colleagues Dr. Stephen Kurachek and Dr. Jeff Lobas, founded Children’s Respiratory and Critical Care Specialists (CRCCS), a premier Critical Care and Pulmonary practice supporting children and young adults throughout the state and region, and served as the medical director of its outpatient clinic for many years. Through Dr. Wheeler’s leadership, patients throughout the country experiencing complex pulmonary diseases and technology dependence can be cared for at home. In addition, Dr. Wheeler was instrumental in helping to build the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Minnesota and served as the Medical Director of the Pulmonary Diagnostic Program Home Apnea Monitoring Program, Respiratory Therapy and Minnesota Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Center.
Dr. Wheeler’s vision to partner with pediatricians, primary care providers, nursing agencies, home equipment companies, and hospital systems throughout the country to bring technology to the chronically ill patients, has touched thousands of patients and their families allowing them to be cared for at home.
In addition, Dr. Wheeler has published multiple articles and presented nationally on his work. He is deeply committed to fostering the education of critical care fellows through the University of Minnesota Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship program fostering mentoring experiences at CRCCS clinic and Children’s Hospital.
Kindness, empathy, energy, humor, and humility; outreach and passion for treating the underserved and taking care of the sickest and most complex children, are all words used to describe Dr. Wheeler. His leadership and dedication to caring for complex pulmonary diseases by establishing a home ventilation program transformed and improved the quality of life and survival for children and young adults and their families throughout the country.
ABH | The Foundation is honored to present the 2022 Charles Bolles Bolles-Rogers Physician of Excellence Awards to Ellen Coffey, MD and William B. Wheeler, MD.