As Chief of Cardiology at Harlem Hospital Center, and a board member of the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC), Dr. Fergus works hard to constantly stay in touch with the community-and to teach others how to work at the grassroots level. Community is at the center of her all her work as a heart specialist.
Q: You are now very active with the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) - can you tell us more about that group and what you do with them?
A: ABC is involved in advocacy and training. I am chair of Community Programs and one of my favorite projects is the Community Health Advocacy Training (CHAT) program. This is a training session that teaches people from different cities about how to go into their communities to educate people about health topics, such as taking their medicines and sticking with a plan of health. Trust is a really big part of what we teach people about. If people don't trust you, you won't get anywhere. We know that some people in the Black community still have trust issues with the medical profession since Tuskegee. There may still be a feeling that doctors are experimenting on them, especially when a person may not understand their treatment plan. ABC teaches the advocates how to be a partner in a person's health care, to ask the right questions and develop a mutually trusting relationship with their health care provider.
For instance, if I tell a male patient that he needs to take a beta blocker, I want to engage him and develop trust, so we can talk about the potential for impotence. It's all in a practitioner's approach-that's how trust is built.
The ABC is involved in health screenings and health fairs in numerous communities. At these community gatherings, the ABC gives people advice to help them spot health problems before they become serious health issues. We try to get the community interested in their health.
Q: Are there any community projects in your life that you would like to share with the GetHealthyHarlem.org community?
A: I am working on developing a non-profit organization that will support people with cardiovascular disease here in Harlem. People need more care than just coming to see their doctor at the hospital every few months. I am working on creating an organization that will provide support for the entire family. I see patients as partners; we work together in the health decision-making process. We are adults in a partnership who make important everyday decisions that will have a long term impact on our health.
I am also proud of my work with the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce's Healthy Eating and Living (HEAL) campaign which helps people to change their lifestyle. I also feel good about my work with ABC because we are teaching so many people to extend the community-based approach through the advocacy training program.
