Dr. Richard Charles Smith, MD

This was my first visit with this doctor. I found him very likeable, informative and caring. He sent me for xrays and then waited till I returned to go over everything with me.

I've known Dr. Smith personally and professionally for several decades and I can tell you without hesitation he's the best there is. I see many complaints listed here but most can be discounted if you've seen some of the specimens that wander in seeking a diagnosis requiring pain meds and he sends them right back out the door "misdiagnosed" as some call it. Most call it malingering. Dr. Smith has done both hip replacements and treated my son as well. Ask people who really know him. Start at the blood donor center in front of the hospital and ask the nurse about him; he donates a pint regularly. A former director of nursing at the hospital once worked for me and is a good friend who echoed what everybody says about Dr. Smith. "He's a perfectionist in surgery." He's soft spoken and the staff love him. He's never once become angry in his life. He comes from a long line of great doctors, one of which was the first doctor to locate in San Pedro. For many years he was the ortho surgeon for… prison inmates and gave them the same care as anyone else. Someone mentioned they thought he was after insurance money. This is hilarious for two reasons: First, I won't embarrass Dr. Smith by telling how little he is paid for his work but you wouldn't believe it anyway. Over time insurance has reduced his payment to less than one fourth of what it once was. Check out the obscene cost of malpractice insurance for an ortho surgeon who has never had a claim in half a century. The second and perhaps most important reason is that knowing him as I do I can tell you he is very successful and does not need the money. He works because he loves being a great surgeon. If he had to depend upon the money from the practice he would close the doors and go home. I have seen many doctors who need to perform large numbers of surgeries or procedures in order to make a decent wage. Who would you rather schedule your next joint replacement with?

He looked at a paper X-ray and said there was nothing wrong with my foot! Go home and do whatever you want, he said. In reality my foot was broken. I walked around for a month on a broken foot. I've been in a cast for 6 months now!

If you're hurt on job and are looking for a good Honest Doctor when it comes to workers comp you need to stay away he's a insurance company doctor 1000%

POOR ,POOR bedside manner !

Misdiagnosed. The second opinion I went to after Dr. Smith diagnosed my injury quickly.

I had total knee replacement after accident. Multiple injuries. Dr. Smith there's other areas on my body that hurt!! Oh it has been 4 months since surgery, should I still have this much pain Dr.? " Pain Management" oh this hurts right here!! " Pain Management" did I tell you I was struck by a Big Rig Truck?!! "You have a lot of complaints today" " Pain Management " I am just asking to get an MRI or X-RAY some sort of test done besides, that should be better by now, see you in a month. Or " I don't know what else I can do for ya" Thank you Dr. Smith for taking on my claim, but in the future please just tell a patient they need to go to another Doctor if there's to much paperwork, forms, reports, etc. that you can or are willing to fill out, complete and submit to Employer, you are ultimately the one responsible for that. My claim has been put under further review until a Doctor submits a comprehensive and complete report on my current conditions so to bring my claim… to current status I need a Doctor to listen to what I'm saying and not tell me there's nothing else to do. And my thanks to Vicki, Dr. Smith's secretary for all her help with the phone calls, faxes,forms etc.... Merry Christmas!!