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
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:
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What’s actually causing clinician burnout — and why it’s not just long hours
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The hidden trauma of medical training
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What “moral injury” means — and why it’s driving people out of medicine
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How broken incentives lead to bad outcomes for both patients and doctors
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Why Dr. Otten nearly left medicine — and what pulled him back
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The power of solidarity, and why we need collective change
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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
→ Visit the Official Site
→ 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.
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✅ Share the episode with someone who needs to hear it
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Until next time… Live well and RAK ON,
-Dr. Rak 👊🏽
💬 Got thoughts, questions, or topic ideas?
DM me on Instagram @thehealthfeast or @rakyourlife, or leave a comment on Substack.
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Guest Bio
Dr. Todd R. Otten, MD, FAAFP is a board-certified family physician, Navy veteran, author, and healthcare reform advocate with over 20 years of clinical and leadership experience.
After serving as a Naval Flight Surgeon and later leading as a chief of staff and ACO medical director, Dr. Otten saw how deeply the healthcare system was failing both patients and clinicians. In response, he co-authored Ripple of Change with one of his patients — a unique and honest look at burnout, moral injury, and the urgent need for systemic change.
He is also the executive producer of the upcoming documentary Suck It Up, Buttercup, which exposes the hidden toll of staying silent in a broken system. Through his work, Dr. Otten is helping spark a conversation about how healthcare can heal — from the inside out.
He lives in Michigan with his wife and four children.
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.
