Making fundamental structural changes to one-sixth of the U.S. economy in an area that personally affects every American is proving to be an exceedingly complex and controversial task.

Regardless of the eventual outcome of these initiatives, there are examples already occurring here in Maine that demonstrate how we can work together to improve access, increase quality, lower health care costs and save lives. Just ask Sabattus resident Ray Berube.

His primary care doctor notified him he was at risk for a very serious condition called an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Berube underwent an ultrasound exam that showed a large bulge on the aorta. He was immediately taken to surgery for a repair that in all likelihood saved his life. What can we learn from Mr. Berube’s experience that applies to health care reform?

Berube was fortunate his primary care physician is a member of the Central Maine Medical Group — some 325 physicians and associate professional staff members of Central Maine Medical Center, Bridgton and Rumford Hospital. CMMG recently launched a new campaign called “Saving Lives through Evidence-Based Medicine,” designed to identify patients “at risk” prior to a serious event.

Physician-approved screening protocols were established. Patient records in our computerized medical record database are being reviewed so we can contact patients for screening before major medical problems arise. Not only does this represent better patient care, but this is a classic example of how a timely medical intervention results in improved patient outcomes at less cost.

Information technology is raising the quality bar and can contribute to lowering the cost of care. Electronic health records can help to reduce medical errors and eliminate duplicate testing. In Berube’s case, the EHR used by his provider allowed for him to be identified as an at-risk patient.

During the past 15 years, Central Maine Healthcare, the integrated system of physicians, hospitals and long-term care providers of which Central Maine Medical Center is a part, has invested tens of million of dollars in health information technology to create a shared electronic medical record system throughout our organization. Working with other health care systems around the state, CMMC has helped to create HealthInfoNet, a statewide medical data sharing consortium which enables physicians to access patient medical information. Continued investment in health care IT and maximizing the use of systems already in place is critical to tackling our health care challenges.

True reform is much more than providers fixing a broken health care system. Physicians, other providers and hospitals can only do so much to change the health care system. Government needs to pay its fair share. Medicare pays CMMC less than 80 percent of our cost, and MaineCare pays even less and we wait years to be paid. While progress has been made on the MaineCare settlements issue, our system will still be owed nearly $50 million by the end of the year.

Failure of these government payers to pay their fair share forces hospitals and physicians to increase health care costs for people covered by private insurance. This “cost shifting” results in private insurance plans paying 130 percent or more of hospital and physician costs because of the sheer volume of MaineCare and Medicare patients, coupled with underpayments by these government plans.

Personal responsibility is equally important. Smoking, alcohol-related traumatic accidents, drug abuse and a litany of other health problems at their core are a failure of taking personal responsibility for our own health. The responsibility for maintaining a regular exercise program, discontinuing tobacco use, being thoughtful about our eating habits and participating in regular health screening programs is ours and ours alone. In the final analysis, the first step toward revamping the health care system begins with each of us.

While we await the outcome of the political debate in Washington, let’s not overlook the fact that meaningful health care reform efforts are already under way in Maine.

Pauline Beale, O.D., is chairwoman of the Central Maine Medical Center Board of Trustees. Laird Covey is president of Central Maine Medical Center.