Is There a (Black) Heart Doctor in the House?

Less than 3% of cardiologists in the U.S. are African American but you don’t have to look any further than Newark, New Jersey if you are in the market for a heart doctor who may be culturally aware. Dr. Matthew Montgomery specializes in advanced heart failure, mechanical circulatory support, heart transplantation and coronary interventions at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center’s Advanced Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Program.

Dr. Matthew Montgomery

Dr. Montgomery says “It’s really multidisciplinary as to how we address patients. We really evaluate patients completely. We address patients not only from their clinical aspects but also from other social aspects they may have (including) financial issues. All these things work together to help us properly serve our patients.” Kimberly says she is grateful for the treatment Fredrick received. “Knowing how comfortable Dr. Montgomery made my husband gave me peace of mind and assurance that he was receiving the best treatment.”

Kimberly Prime, whose husband Fredrick was a patient at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center before his passing in 2022, says that it was important to her husband that his cardiologist looked like him. “He called me right after his first appointment with Dr. Montgomery. He was so excited that his cardiologist was African American,” she recalls.

While 60% of African Americans have cardiovascular disease, according to the American Heart Association, fewer than 3% of cardiologists are Black, according to a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Newark Beth Israel has one of the nation’s top 15 heart transplant centers. Dr. Montgomery joined their team in 2020. He holds a Master’s in Public Health from Yale School of Public Health and a Master’s in Business Administration from St. Joseph’s University. He completed his medical education at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and his internal medicine residency at Aria-Jefferson Health. dN

If you have cardiovascular problems and need more information, contact the Advanced Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Program at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center at rwjbh.org/heart or call 973-926-7205