Ochsner Medical Center Hospital

Really nice guy. Allowed me to ask all the questions I felt I needed to. Very hands on, with a dedicated staff. He is both professional w/ surgical competence and has a great bedside manner. I look forward to continuing my treatment plan with him.

I really enjoyed talking with Dr. Richardson. He is very professional, yet personable and very nice. His office staff couldn't be nicer or more helpful. Nothing to dislike, nothing to tell, except don't be afraid to discuss any questions you may have with him. Ochsner does provide a post-op help group. He mentioned things like his complication rate, etc. He was very straightforward but he was reassuring. He gets a 10/10 in my book so far. Surgical competence, in my opinion, trumps bedside manner. I'd rather him be a total jerk but know what he's doing in the OR.

6/2004 After meeting my surgeon and finding out his high complication rates, I started searching for another surgeon.

7/25/05 I changed jobs for insurance reasons and began to work on the postop unit where Dr. Richardson and Dr. Kennedy sent their patients at Ochsner. I was so completely impressed by each of them. His skill is just amazing! He seems like a bit of a strict and dry personality until you get to know him better, but he is a very kind and caring surgeon. He literally held my hand through one denial after another while I cried... until MY day finally came for approval. He saved my life and gave me a hope transplant!

You could not choose a better surgeon than Dr. Richardson!! I'd like to see more on the aftercare program there, but as long as you follow the instructions you're given, you'll do just fine.

3/2007 Surgery went well, no problems at all. I can not say enough great things about this man and this hospital!

3/2009 2 years out and PAST goal!! Not a single problem or complication... from a size 30 to a size 12, before plastics!!

HE'S THE BEST! I had read so many other profile impressions of Dr. Richardson, that I thought I had a pretty good idea going in of who I would be meeting. Indeed, he was as described: personable and caring. While being direct, he was also very compassionate. He is the Director of Laporascopic Surgery at one of the region's leading hospitals. He graduated from Harvard Medical School and has been practicing at Ochsner since 1997. I was also very impressed with his staff. They are very motivated and dedicated to their professions.

First impression: very professional and to the point, an excellent surgeon who specializes in laproscopic surgery.My impression has not changed. His staff is friendly and very helpful. I can email them or call with any question and they respond promptly. The only negative I can think of is that he is a general surgeon and is busy so for one appointment post-op he was called to surgery and I had to wait to see him. I didn't mind. If you are considering him for surgery, know that he will not sugar-coat the procedure or what's expected of you before and after. You must go on a liquid diet before surgery for 2 weeks and follow a progressive diet after surgery. You are weighed the morning of surgery and if you haven't lost enough weight, your surgery will be cancelled.The staff conducts a monthly support group and have seminars for anyone considering WLS. Every visit includes doctor, nutritionist, resident and nurses. Everything was explained in detail and I went with a list of questions prior to surgery and Dr. Richardson answered them all. I rate him excellent surgical competence and good bedside manner-he is professional and to the point.

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!