William S. Richardson Bariatric Surgeon D.O.

The short answer: He's excellent.rn<br><br>rnHere's the loooooooooooooooong answer:rn<br><br>rnMy original plan was to have my RNY with Dr. Colleen Kennedy (Dr. Richardson's partner at Ochsner). However, Dr. Kennedy was pregnant gave birth a little early, so Dr. Richardson actually performed my surgery. Because he performed my actual surgery, his preference was to continue my follow-up care, and that's fine.rn<br><br>rnMy first contact with Dr. Richardson was actually at the initial seminar held at Ochsner. He presented on types of surgery, risks, benefits, etc. and had to field a LOT of questions that would probably have been best addressed during individual consultation. I could certainly sympathize, but frankly, I didn't think he handled the questions particularly well. (Dr. Kennedy, meanwhile, smiled in the background, so I made my choice of surgeon based on the reasoning that even though Richardson is probably a surgical genius, but Kennedy could surely do surgery just fine and seemed to have a far better bedside manner.)rn<br><br>rnI had met Dr. Kennedy twice: once for an initial consultation, and once for my pre-op visit. I felt very good about having her as my surgeon. First, I figured that her youth indicated that she had been trained from the start on the latest technologies. Second, Dr. Kennedy is very lively and has a terrific sense of humor that helps build rapport without undermining her professionalism. Best of all, she described herself as \"very paranoid\" about the risks associated with WLS and takes thorough precautions against blood clots, etc. So, I figured Dr. Kennedy would offer good surgical competence with excellent bedside manner.rn<br><br>rnHowever, the WLS gods decided that Dr. Kennedy would deliver early, and Dr. Richardson would be my surgeon. I also felt very good about having him as my surgeon, as he is very highly experienced in both general laparoscopic and bariatric surgery. He was also very pleasant and personable when we met (he even joked a little) right before surgery.rn<br><br>rnAs an inpatient, my only complaint was that after surgery, I only saw Dr. Richardson (and I mean \"saw,\" not even \"spoke with\") once during my hospital stay, while I was having my leak test. For everything else, he sent in his residents. However, as a professional, I know that also indicates his commitment to training, which I admire greatly.rn<br><br>rnThe most impressive thing about Dr. Richardson is that when it comes to surgery, he's not just a genius, he's an ARTIST! First off, he performed my laparoscopic RNY in only an hour and a half! Second, I didn't even need a drainage tube! Third, my incisions are truly tiny (I even have one in my navel, the exact location of which I'm not even sure because it's so small) and healing fabulously. In addition, I was completely off pain medication by the second day after surgery. Perhaps some of that has to do with my having done well enough with the pre-op diet and post-op instructions to facilitate surgery and recovery, but I'm pretty certain that the lion's share of credit goes to my highly talented surgeon. :-)rn<br><br>rnAfter two follow-up visits, I can also say that contrary to my initial impression, his bedside manner is actually quite good! Granted, Dr. Richardson is very formal and reserved, especially in initial interactions. However, it wasn't long before I could see that he conveys genuine compassion toward and support of his patients.rn<br><br>rnSo, overall, I'd say Dr. Richardson combines EXCEPTIONAL surgical competence with good bedside manner (especially where it counts). I highly recommend him, without hesitation.

'My impression of Dr. William Richardson prior to meeting him was that he is a dedicated

Dr Richardson is a very dedicated surgeon who has a great support staff. He was very straightforward when discussing the risks of the surgery. We also discussed the affects that being morbidly obese would have if I did not have the surgery. His program is very structured and each doctors visit includes a visit with the dietician. They also have a support group meeting once a month that is conducted by Dr. Richardson's nurses and a guest speaker. We exchange recipes and discuss problems openly and informally. I would rate him as highly competent and his team as excellent.

I was very impressed from the first time I met Dr. Richardson and I liked him even more the longer I dealt with him. He is a sincere, compassionate doctor with a real desire to help morbidly obese people. He doesn't sugarcoat the surgery in any way. He stresses that it is major surgery and speaks clearly about the complications that can occur (including death).

He has a great staff that is anxious to assist his patients in any way possible. They are just a phone call or e-mail away.

I really don't have anything negative to report about him.

He definitely stresses the importance of aftercare - regular appointments and bloodtests. He also has a support group led by a nurse in his office.

I was totally satisfied with all aspects of my care. I would rate both his competence and bedside manner great!