A healthcare system in crisis. A story America can’t ignore.
The U.S. healthcare system is unraveling, burdened by corporate greed, overwhelming bureaucracy, and a work environment that is driving clinicians to exhaustion and patients to harm.
A documentary made to spark change.
Suck It Up, Buttercup is an investigative and deeply human documentary that brings together physicians, nurses, patients, families and frontline leaders to reveal what is really happening inside America’s healthcare system. Through candid interviews and raw on‑the‑ground stories, the film exposes the failures putting all of us at risk and highlights the systems and people who are proving that better is possible.
Purpose over profit. Humanity over systems.
This crisis impacts everyone: clinicians, care teams, patients and the families who trust the system to protect them. The film lifts the veil on a dangerous dysfunction that has remained hidden for far too long, from unsafe staffing to financial pressures to the moral injury felt by those trying to provide care in a broken system.
Together, we can break the silence and save lives.
This documentary is more than a film. It is a movement calling for transparency, accountability, and a future where healthcare works for the people it was built to serve.
Change
begins with understanding.
Please view our current Video Tease:
Meet Our Film Team
MaryAnn Wilbur
MD, MPH, MHS, Executive Producer
Bio
Dr. Wilbur is a physician, author, and public health strategist. With over twenty-five years of experience in clinical medicine and public health, Dr. Wilbur serves as the Director & CEO of Health Equity Consulting, INC. Health Equity Consulting will be subcontracted to assist with film production and securing a successful storyline. To learn more about Dr. Wilbur and her recently published book, please visit her website.
Todd R. Otten
MD, Executive Producer
Bio
Todd is a board-certified family physician and co-founder of Our Quadruple Aim, a movement that challenges the status quo in healthcare and promotes patient experience, quality care, lower costs, and provider wellness. He has over 20 years of experience in providing quality patient care, leading teams, and managing projects in various settings, including the United States Navy, where he was honored as the naval flight surgeon of the year in 2006 for the Atlantic Fleet. And, most recently has joined Emergency Care Specialists in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is also the co-author of Ripple of Change, a book that shares his unfiltered journey through burnout and the existing dysfunction in healthcare and offers a bare-bones approach to evaluate, re-imagine, and inspire positive disruption in the industry and beyond. He is passionate about empowering patients and healthcare providers to become agents of change and to turn their ripples into waves of lasting impact. He is currently the Lead Catalyst/Board Chair for Medicine Forward and is involved with numerous advocacy/activism efforts across the country. For additional info about Todd’s novel, visit his web page.
Scott Pressler
Creative Director, Producer
Bio
As Creative Director of ONE80 Visual, Scott is known for his ability to create compelling and memorable media experiences with consideration to the innovative dissemination of information and the merging of creativity and technology. In his 30+ years in film and broadcasting, Scott has had extensive experience in applying design direction and creative strategies to large-scale media initiatives. He is the recipient of five National Emmy Awards for his work with NBC Sports and the Olympic Games on NBC and has received many other industry acknowledgments for his creative talents, including numerous awards for his work on the monumental ESPN Sports Century project. Along with John and Amy, he is currently working on his third feature-length documentary, Jewish in America, and a series of Holocaust mini-docs titled Remember – Zachor. Here’s a sample of one of the stories.As Creative Director of ONE80 Visual, Scott is known for his ability to create compelling and memorable media experiences with consideration to the innovative dissemination of information and the merging of creativity and technology. In his 30+ years in film and broadcasting, Scott has had extensive experience in applying design direction and creative strategies to large-scale media initiatives. He is the recipient of five National Emmy Awards for his work with NBC Sports and the Olympic Games on NBC and has received many other industry acknowledgments for his creative talents, including numerous awards for his work on the monumental ESPN Sports Century project. Along with John and Amy, he is currently working on his third feature-length documentary, Jewish in America, and a series of Holocaust mini-docs titled Remember – Zachor. Here’s a sample of one of the stories.
Amy Schrob
Editor, Producer
Bio
Amy has over four decades of experience as an editor, compositor, director, and visual effects artist. Utilizing the Adobe Creative Suite as well as Cinema 4D and more, she brings the art of motion design and compositing together with creative storytelling. Amy is always thinking one step ahead of the process. She also oversees the technical direction of our projects, so that all of our creative ideas can be realized without limitations. In addition to numerous short-format editorial works, Amy has completed two feature-length documentaries and is currently working on two more. Along with her business partner Scott, Amy co-owns ONE80 Visual – a multimedia company located in Natick, MA. A sample of ONE80’s work can be seen on our website.
John Hunter Mottern
Director of Photography, Producer
Bio
In his 40+ years as a photojournalist, John’s work has been published in virtually all major newspapers and many prominent magazines around the globe. He has covered presidential campaigns, wars, natural disasters, terror attacks, social conflicts, major league sports, fashion & society events while being contracted to produce a wide variety of VIP portraits. He brings his editorial experience and eye to commercial, fashion, and corporate assignments – adding an authentic style sought after by his clients. He specializes in documentary filmmaking and has traveled the globe to capture amazing stories and visuals. Some samples of John’s journalistic work and photos are located on his website.
Our Executive Producers
AAEM
The American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) is a nonprofit professional association that fights for high-quality patient care delivered by board-certified emergency physicians and champions a fair and equitable workplace for emergency physicians through advocacy and education. This collaboration aligns with AAEM’s mission by highlighting the systemic challenges faced by emergency physicians and advocating for a healthcare system rooted in transparency, physician autonomy, and patient-centered care.With Gratitude to Our Executive Producers
Kent Ellington
MD, FAAOS
Jeffrey A. Goldstein
MD, FACC
Dr. Nicole and Dr. Rob McDermott
Terrence Mulligan
DO, MPH FAAEM, FACEP, FIFEM, FACOEP, FNVSHA, FFSEM, HPF
The Whole Physician
David Lee Scher
MD, FACP, FACC, FHRS, FESC
R. James Toussaint
MD, FAOA
Holly Dunn
