COOKEVILLE – R. Lewis Wilson, M.D., a cardiothoracic surgeon, received the 2017 Martin Coffey Cardiovascular Service Award at the Cookeville Regional Medical Center’s board of trustees meeting in February. Paul Korth, CRMC CEO, made the presentation, citing Wilson’s dedication and loyalty to the Heart and Vascular Center at the hospital.
Wilson has been in health care for more than 25 years. He started at CRMC in December 2001 as a cardiothoracic surgeon. Since then, he has seen the Heart and Vascular Center, CVOR and CVICU make great strides to provide the best cardiac care in the region. He has been a major part of the changes made throughout the years, and has touched the lives of many citizens of the Upper Cumberland region. He most recently performed the 5,000th heart surgery case at the hospital.
In his nomination letter, Wilson is described as a strong leader, a teacher, committed, compassionate, a man of integrity, kind, generous, approachable, intelligent, personable, and compassionate. The letter continued to say that he is in the business of surgery to save lives, and he continues to research and understand the newest forms of surgical equipment and technology to offer the best quality of care to patients. He is extremely devoted to his patients, and their families, and to CRMC.
Wilson received his medical degree from the Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University in 1987. In 1992, he completed his general surgery residency; in 1993, he completed his peripheral vascular surgery residency, and in 2000, he completed his cardiothoracic residency, all at the University of Tennessee in Memphis. Wilson is board certified in surgery, vascular surgery and cardiothoracic surgery. He and his wife Cynthia live in Cookeville and have four children, a son, Robert Jr., and three daughters, Claudia, Elizabeth and Ashley, along with two grandchildren.
The Martin Coffey Cardiovascular Service Award is given to an individual who has made a positive impact on the delivery of quality cardiovascular care to the patients of CRMC and the Upper Cumberland region. Its namesake, Martin Coffey, was founding director of the Heart and Vascular Center of Cookeville Regional Medical Center (1994-2007) and instrumental in the development of creating what is known today as the Heart and Vascular Center at Cookeville Regional.
Previous recipients include Alex Case, M.D., cardiologist (2015), and the late Tom Little (2016).