While then nation seems preoccupied by political warfare over the Affordable Care Act and expansion of Medicaid, the head of Springfield Regional Medical Center says a fundamental transformation is underway in health care that will march on regardless of the debate.

At a Friday panel hosted by the Greater Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Paul Hiltz described the new approach as primary care on steroids.

Its powered by the notion that getting more people into care sooner will catch health problems earlier and reduce the cost of treating chronic illness in the long run.

Theres a ton of uncertainty right now, and there will be bumps in the road on how its implemented, said Hiltz. But I think most health care systems are beginning to believe that health care transformation is under way.

Dr. James Duffee, founder of the Rocking Horse Community Center, provided a for instance: The case of a woman whose cancer is identified and treated early on a pap smear rather than, through lack of access to care, being discovered in an advanced stage in an emergency room visit.

All the costs and suffering of cervical cancer is eliminated by a simple procedure early on, he said.

In Duffees view, the access to care provided by an expansion of Medicaid would mean that we take people from the emergency departments and move them into a less costly, more efficient point of care.

Duffee said Rocking Horse is frustrated because it added a new building to take care of patients anticipating the expansion that hasnt yet happened.

Were ready. Wed like to take care of these people. Wed like to improve the health of the community, (and) offload the burden on the emergency room, Duffee said. But we need the legislators to do their jobs.

Hiltz echoes Duffee in identifying fundamental question in the industry is: How do we keep people out of high-cost health care?

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Health care transforming despite debate