Dr. Richard H. Koehler, MD

General Surgeon
Surgeon

Request an Appointment with Dr. Richard Koehler

Dr. Koehler practices General Surgery and Surgery - Other in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Physician Profile for Dr. Richard H. Koehler, MD

Address:: 45 Resnik Road; Plymouth, MA 02360

Personal Facts

Personal Facts:: Accepting New Patients: Yes; Male; Years Since Graduation: 27; Practice Member Since: 2004.; Physician Website: http://www.jordanhospital.org; Professional Status:
Private Practice - Solo, Full-Time
Awards and Honors:: 1978, Magna cum Laude, Boston College; 1978, Order of the Cross and Crown, Boston College; 1989, Humanitarian Service Award (Oct. 17th San Francisco earthquake assistance); 1991, Navy Acheivement Medal; 1991, Combat Action Ribbon (Navy/Marine Corps); 1991, Navy Unit Commendation; 1991, Meritorious Unit Commendation; 1991, Fleet Marine Force Ribbon; 1991, National Defense Medal; 1991, Southwest Asia Campaign Medal (with Marine Corps Eagle, Globe & Anchor for service in combat with USMC forces); 1991, Overseas Service Ribbon; 1991, Kuwait Liberation Medal-Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 1991, Kuwait Liberation Medal-Kuwait; 1994, Navy Commendation Medal
: HealthGrades Recognized Doctors are board certified in the specialty they practice; have never had their license restricted or revoked; are free of state or federal disciplinary actions; and are free of any malpractice claims.
Professional Appointments:: Department of Surgery Massachusetts General Hospital, Clinical Associate 1998-Present; University of California-Davis, East Bay, Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery 1992-1994; Uniformed Service University of the Health Sciences, Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery 1992-1994; Jordan Hospital, MA, Staff General Surgeon 2004-Present; Springfield Hospital, VT, Staff General Surgeon 2002-2003; Martha's Vineyard Hospital, Staff General Surgeon 1994-2002; Naval Hospital Oakland, Oakland CA, Staff General Surgeon 1989-1994; Highland General Hospital, Oakland CA, Assistant Director of Trauma Surgery 1991-1994; Naval Hospital Oakland, Director, GI-Endoscopy Division 1991-1994; Naval Hospital Oakland, Chairman, Surgical Care Review Committe 1991-1994; Santa Clara Valley Medical Center San Jose, CA, Staff Trauma Surgeon 1991-1994; Naval Hospital Oakland, Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee 1990
Professional Affiliations/Memberships:: 1982, Massachusetts Medical Society; 1992, Fellow, American College of Surgeons; 1998, Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons; 1992, Society of Critical Care Medicine; 1998, Charter Member, American Hernia Society; 1992, Southwestern Surgical Congress; 2000, New England Surgical Society; 1999, Honorary Member, Minnesota Surgical Society; 1998, Boston Surgical Society; 1994, Massachusetts Chapter, ACS; 1989, Ralph A. Deterling Surgical Society; 1987, Andrew Morrow Surgical Society
Publications:: 2003, Reoperative experiences and adhesion formation in laparoscopic ventral incisional hernia repairs: a multi-institutional clinical study., J Soc Laparoendo Surg 2003:7-335-40; 2002, Diagnosing the occult contralateral inguinal hernia: Combined use of diagnostic laparoscopy and TEPP laparoscopic repair., Surg Endo 2002:16:512-520; 1999, Recurrences in laparoscopic incisional hernia repairs., J Soc Laparoendo Surg 1999:3:293-304; 1995, Therapeutic laparoscopy for trauma., Am J Surg 1995:170:632-636 Discussion 636-637; 1994, Triage of American combat casualties: The need for change., Milit Med 1994:159:541-7; 1993, Laparoscopic evaluation of abdominal trauma: A preliminary report, Contemporary Surgery; 1993, Videothoracoscopy in the evaluation and treatment of thoracic injury: A preliminary report, American Journal of Surgery; 1993, Gasless laparoscopy and conventional instruments: The next phase of minimally invasive surgery, Archives of Surgery
Professional Interests:: Advanced Laparascopic Gastrointestinal Surgery, GI Endoscopy, Laparoscopic Hernia Surgery
Physician Performs:: Laparoscopic surgery, Colonoscopy, Laparoscopic gall bladder surgery, Laparoscopic gall bladder removal, Upper endoscopy, Hemorrhoidectomy, Laparoscopic colon surgery, Lysis of adhesions, PEG tubes, Laparoscopic antireflux procedures

Patient / Medical Philosophy: Dr. Koehler has a particular interest in laparoscopic colon surgery and laparoscopic hernia surgery. These common operations have, ironically, been amongst the last to cross the threshold into the mainstream of laparoscopic surgical experience for many surgeons---though he has been performing them both since 1992. Dr. Koehler also has an interest in intraabdominal adhesion-related complications. Adhesion related complications---often the result of large incisions---are a major cause of re-admissions to hospitals after abdominal surgery, and can result in a lifetime of pain and reoperative problems. We’re beginning to see this cycle broken by doing the same major surgery with laparoscopy. Dr. Koehler specializes in General Surgery and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery. Laparoscopic surgery, which started with gall bladder removal in the late 1980’s, has now expanded in use to almost all major abdominal operations---from inguinal hernias to colon resections for diseases such as cancer and diverticulitis. Faster recovery times, fewer wound complications and infections, and less scaring have all been demonstrated in major institutional publications.

Experience / Training

Specialty:: General Surgery; (HealthGrades has verified that Dr. Richard H. Koehler, MD is board certified by the American Board of Surgery); Information from ABMS® is proprietary data maintained in a copyrighted database compilation owned by the American Board of Medical Specialties®. © Copyright 2009 American Board of Medical Specialties. All rights reserved.

Medical School:: Tufts University School of Medicine
Boston, MA 1982
Internship:: Tufts New England Medical Center
Boston, MA 1985
Residency:: Tufts New England Medical Center
Boston, MA 1989
Fellowship:: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
Bethesda, MD 1987
Other Education or Training/Positions:: International Medical Surgical Response Team-East 2004-Present; Advanced Trauma Life Support Instructor 1992-Present; Advanced Trauma Operative Management Instructor 2004-Present; Gordon Research Conference Invitee, American Association for the Advancement of Science
Hampton, NH 1987; Basic Laparoscopy Course Sutter Medical Institute
Sacramento, CA 1991; Advanced Laparoscopy Course Bethesda Naval Medical Center
Bethesda, MD 1992
Undergraduate School:: Boston College
Boston, MA 1978
Professional Status:: Private Practice - Solo

Procedure

Procedure	Number per Year (Approximate)
Laparoscopic surgery	250
Colonoscopy	150
Laparoscopic gall bladder surgery	150
Laparoscopic gall bladder removal	100
Upper endoscopy	100
Hemorrhoidectomy	50
Laparoscopic colon surgery	50
Lysis of adhesions	50
PEG tubes	25
Laparoscopic antireflux procedures	20

Disciplinary Actions: HealthGrades has examined disciplinary actions within the last five years from the Office of Inspector General and 50 state medical boards.
HealthGrades could not detect any disciplinary actions for Dr. Richard H. Koehler, MD as of 07/10/2009.
Note: HealthGrades reports on state and federal disciplinary actions (if any) from the previous five years.

Malpractice History

Closed Malpractice Claims:: Malpractice History Found; State: MA; Claim Type: Settlement; Note: HealthGrades collects malpractice and lawsuit information for the states of California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.
• Massachusetts reports judgments and settlements within the last 10 years.

Medical malpractice is ordinary negligence by a healthcare provider which causes injury. Examples include being improperly diagnosed, treated, medicated or operated upon outside the standard of care. Standard of care is that level of care, skill and treatment which is recognized as acceptable and appropriate by a reasonably prudent similar healthcare provider under similar circumstances. If your physician has settled a malpractice claim or has a judgment on a malpractice claim, evaluate the information and make a determination. You may want to use this information to start a discussion with the physician.

Note: HealthGrades obtains physician information from a variety of sources. Some information that is not designated as HealthGrades verified has been reported by the physician.

Bookmark This Page

View Contact Information

Print Your Report

Take it with you to your first appointment.

Are you Doctor Koehler?

Ensure that your profile information is current.

Email this report to a friend.
Friend's Email Address: