Reclaiming Health: How to Build Trust in a Distrustful System with Dr. Stella Kocovic Villacorta
In this powerful and eye-opening episode of the Joel Gandara Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Stella Kocovic Villacorta, a board-certified internal medicine physician and founder of a concierge medical practice in South Florida. From surviving a Mafia bombing in Montenegro to beating breast cancer, and now leading the charge to fix America’s broken healthcare system, Dr. Stella shares her courageous personal journey and mission to bring back meaningful, patient-first care.
🎙️ What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
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🇲🇪 From War to Wellness: How Dr. Stella’s family escaped the Bosnian-Serbian war and rebuilt a life in the U.S.
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🩺 What’s Wrong With U.S. Healthcare: An insider’s take on why the system feels like a broken restaurant kitchen.
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💊 Concierge Medicine Explained: Why more doctors are ditching insurance and how this model benefits patients.
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💸 The Truth About Insurance: Why premiums keep rising while quality care declines—and what to do instead.
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💪 Preventative Health That Works: How nutrition, sleep, movement, and stress management can change your life.
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📵 Technology and Family: The hidden mental health cost of screen addiction—and how to create boundaries that heal.
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🧠 Mental Health, Mindset, and Gratitude: How to rewire your brain for better relationships and a more fulfilling life.
🔥 Real Stories. Real Talk. Real Solutions.
Dr. Stella opens up about her breast cancer diagnosis, how a catastrophic insurance plan saved her financially, and why trusting your doctor again starts with transforming the entire system.
📍 Based in Fort Lauderdale, Dr. Villacorta offers concierge primary care, both in-person and via telehealth, with a personalized, whole-body approach to long-term wellness.
💬 Topics We Discuss:
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What is concierge medicine and how does it work?
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Why are doctors leaving insurance-based care behind?
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How can parents fight back against screen addiction in children?
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Are pharmaceutical companies investing in processed food brands?
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What’s the connection between mental health and chronic illness?
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Why boredom might be the secret to childhood creativity and emotional strength
👩⚕️ About Dr. Stella Villacorta
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Board-Certified in Internal Medicine
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Trained at Nova Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine
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Completed residency at Broward Health Medical Center
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Founder of a concierge medical practice focused on relationship-based care, longevity, and proactive health
Stella Kocovic Villacorta
Concierge and Lifestyle Medicine Physician
Dr. Stella Kocovic Villacorta is a dedicated physician reshaping the landscape of healthcare through her innovative concierge and lifestyle medicine practice. Originally from Montenegro, Dr. Villacorta brings a deep-rooted passion for personalized and patient-centered care. She earned her medical degree at Nova Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine, completed her internal medicine training at a Level One Trauma Center, Broward Health, and received additional training in nutrition through Stanford University. Her training and passion for medicine, combined with her personal experience with breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, have profoundly shaped her commitment to preventive care and holistic wellness.
Now based in South Florida, Dr. Villacorta is not only a wife and a mother to two wonderful children, ages 3 and 6, but also a co-owner of a thriving concierge medicine and dermatology practice. Together with her husband, Dr. Miguel Villacorta, a dermatologist, they have created a unique, patient-focused practice that challenges the traditional healthcare model by offering comprehensive, direct care that prioritizes accessibility, prevention, and holistic well-being.
Through her work, Dr. Stella Villacorta is committed to transforming medicine by emphasizing a proactive approach to health that empowers patients to take control of their wellness journeys.
