News
- “Doc Griggs” is the health and wellness awareness persona of Dr. Eric Griggs, a New Orleans-based Community Medicine Director and health educator who has dedicated his professional life to raising health and wellness awareness in the New Orleans community.
Doc Griggs joined Access Health Louisiana in May 2016 as the Community Medicine Director.
BIO:
“Doc Griggs” is the health and wellness awareness persona of Eric D. Griggs, M.D., a New Orleans-based Community Medicine Doctor and Health Educator who has dedicated his professional life to raising health and wellness awareness in communities, nationally and internationally. In addition to being recently appointed as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, he also serves in the same capacity at the LSU School of Medicine and the Xavier University College of Pharmacy, and maintains a continued role as Director of Community Medicine at Access Health Louisiana, a Federally-Qualified Health Center. Dr. Griggs proudly serves as the founder and Executive Director of the Doc Griggs Foundation, a community-driven, student-activated, and professionally-mentored organization that promotes community health by empowering the community to ‘Get Checked. Get Fit Get Moving!®
In 2020, the world was affected by the global pandemic of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Since then, Doc Griggs has become a local, state, national and international figure in explaining the risks, exposure, care, prevention, and treatment against COVID-19. He has been adamant and intentional in providing ever-evolving information and opportunities for testing and vaccinations through community town hall meetings, news media outlets, animations, policy support, in-person events, community health clinics, and more.
Doc Griggs’ mantra is “Get checked. Get fit. Get moving!™” His approach transcends race and gender barriers. His ability to speak proficient Spanish allows him to utilize a comprehensive creative approach to engage men, woman and children of both English and Spanish speaking heritage. His efforts as a health educator and health and awareness advocate have been recognized by District 7 State Senator David R. Heitmeier in a 2014 resolution naming Dr. Eric Griggs a Health and Wellness Ambassador of the State of Louisiana. In May of the same year, the New Orleans City Council named him the Health and Wellness Ambassador for the City of New Orleans. Dr Griggs was recently named the Chairman of the Healthcare Sector for FitNOLA, the City of New Orleans’ fitness initiative. He currently works for Access Health Louisiana as their Community Medicine Director and serves as the Medical Advisor for Xavier University’s Health and Wellness Center.
“Doc Griggs” is an active participant in several organizations that promote positive change in the community. He is the Health and Wellness Chair for 100 Black Men of Metro New Orleans and serves on the 100 Black Men National Health and Wellness Board. In March of 2014, Dr. Eric Griggs was named Spokesperson for the American Cancer Society – Greater New Orleans and is a member of their Executive Leadership Council. As Chairman for the American Heart Association’s Multicultural Leadership Committee, he is also a member of their Greater Southeast Affiliate Multicultural Initiatives Committee ( AL,LA,MS,TN,GA,FL,PR).
While Health and Wellness are near and dear to his heart, Dr. Griggs works closely with the youth. Dr. Griggs proudly serves as the Director of Health Sciences for STEM NOLA and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Playworks-Louisiana. Dr. Griggs also co-founded the Broadmoor Basketball Association, a basketball program for at-risk youth. Earlier this year, Dr. Griggs was appointed by Governor John Bel Edwards to the Louisiana Children’s Cabinet Advisory Board and as a spokesperson for the Governor’s Louisiana Youth For Excellence program.
In addition, Dr. Griggs appears weekly on Fox 8 WVUE’s Morning Edition as a Health Educator every Thursday morning at 7:40 AM. On Tuesday mornings you can catch him at 5:10 And 7:10 AM on iHeart media’s “Morning News” in 3 different cities (New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Biloxi, MS) (News Talk 99.5 WRNO locally). He appears weekly on “The Good Life” with Eileen Carter for “Wellness Wednesdays” and has a weekly radio broadcast every Thursday, “The Doc Griggs Show,” on WBOK 1230AM from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. He additionally makes monthly appearances on the “Good Morning Show” with Oliver Thomas. Dr. Griggs is also a contributing medical writer for Data News Weekly, a local community paper.
