E133: Dr. Emma Westermann on Cracks in the System, PANDAS, and the Shift to Direct Care

Welcome to the Get Healthy Tampa Bay Podcast with Dr. Kerry Reller! This week, returning guest Dr. Emma Westermann shares how her training in health policy at Harvard revealed the deeper flaws in the American healthcare system—and how that inspired her shift to direct care.

Dr. Westermann opens up about the deprofessionalization of medicine, the hidden costs of insurance, and how the system fails complex patients. She also shares her personal journey navigating her son’s PANDAS diagnosis and how that led her to create a new coaching model for families dealing with neuroimmune conditions and medical trauma.

This episode offers a powerful, behind-the-scenes look at what’s really driving medical burnout—and what might restore connection, purpose, and better care.

00:28 – Meet Dr. Emma Westermann and her journey through health policy training at Harvard
02:17 – What is health policy and how it influences patient care in America
04:00 – Who really profits in healthcare? A breakdown of where the money goes
06:07 – The deprofessionalization of medicine and why physicians are burning out
08:30 – How the insurance industry drives cost and confusion for both doctors and patients
10:23 – What “cost-effectiveness” models taught Dr. Westermann about valuing human life
15:41 – Why direct care can restore purpose and better care for complex patients
17:02 – Understanding PANDAS and navigating it as a physician-mom
19:50 – Launching a coaching business to support families dealing with chronic illness and trauma
24:56 – Coaching across state lines and helping families in care deserts
25:16 – Can direct care be the future of American healthcare?
26:41 – A hopeful vision for fixing what’s broken

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