052 The Doctor Who Says Healthcare Is Killing Us with Dr. Todd Otten
The Health Feast · Dr. Rak
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Show Notes
Healthcare is broken — and everyone feels it.
Appointments are rushed. Costs keep rising. Clinicians are burned out. Patients are frustrated.
And the system seems to be hurting the very people it’s supposed to help.
In this episode of The Health Feast, I’m joined by Dr. Todd Otten — a board-certified family doctor and Navy veteran — who nearly left medicine after seeing how deeply the system was failing both his patients and his peers.
But instead of walking away, he chose to speak out.
Todd co-wrote Ripple of Change with one of his patients and is now producing a powerful new documentary, Suck It Up, Buttercup, to reveal what’s really happening inside healthcare — and what needs to change.
Whether you’re a clinician on the edge of burnout or a patient who’s felt dismissed and discouraged, this conversation will help you make sense of your experience — and give you a glimpse of what better could look like.
What We Cover:
- What’s actually causing clinician burnout — and why it’s not just long hours
- The hidden trauma of medical training
- What “moral injury” means — and why it’s driving people out of medicine
- How broken incentives lead to bad outcomes for both patients and doctors
- Why Dr. Otten nearly left medicine — and what pulled him back
- The power of solidarity, and why we need collective change
- What you can do — even if you feel powerless in the system
🔗 Resources + Links:
📘 Ripple of Change — the book Dr. Otten co-wrote with his patient
→ Buy the Book (Official Site)
🎬 Suck It Up, Buttercup — the upcoming documentary
→ Support the Film on GoFundMe
If you’ve felt let down by healthcare — or stuck inside a system that doesn’t let you care the way you want to — this episode is for you.
Timestamps
00:30 Dr. Rak’s intro 02:51 Burnout and Moral Injury in Medicine 05:59 The Ripple of Change: A Co-Authored Journey 08:44 The Crisis of Mental Health Among Physicians 11:39 The Disconnect Between Patients and Healthcare Providers 14:55 The Impact of Training on Physician Well-Being 18:00 The Role of Greed in Healthcare 20:49 Hope and the Path Forward 23:47 The Importance of Collaboration in Healthcare 26:39 The Need for Systemic Change 29:43 Personal Stories and Experiences in Medicine 32:39 The Future of Healthcare and the Documentary Project
Disclaimer: The Health Feast is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. As with any changes affecting your health, we recommend and encourage you to consult your medical doctor or other qualified healthcare professionals before making lifestyle changes. The opinions expressed are our own and do not necessarily reflect the views of our employers.