A packed courtroom greeted Texas Medical Association officials who kicked off a series of town hall meetings on health care reform in Denton on Wednesday.

The meeting, designed to offer an opportunity for patients and physicians to discuss concerns and ask questions, was the first of many scheduled around the state by the medical association.

“Texas has the best health care in the country; the United States has the best in the world. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise,” said Dr. Susan Rudd Bailey, president-elect of the medical association. “What’s broken is how the system is coordinated and financed.”

What needs to be done is to improve the good points of health care and not turn them dysfunctional, she said.

Dr. John Flores, vice president of the Denton County Medical Society, led the discussion, which focused on the three items asked of attendees: one thing people like the most about the present health care system, one thing they would change, and one thing people want out of health care reform.

Answers were given by the more than 100 attendees, who came from area cities and from as far as Dallas — some of whom were seeking more information, others who were concerned about their own health care and others who wanted to voice their opinions about specific ills of the system.

“It’s important for voters to understand the issues,” said Phillip Herr, a Flower Mound resident. “It’s my understanding the [reform] bill is 1,800 pages. Before something is fast-tracked, we as citizens should have the opportunity to know what is in the bill.”

Susan Fischer, also of Flower Mound, attended the meeting to find out what was going on with the talk of reform and proposals and to express her opinion — hoping it will find its way to the desk of U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Lewisville.

“And hopefully he will do something,” Fischer said. “It comes down to the masses saying this isn’t right, this is wrong. This is our country.”

Fischer said she wished more people would get involved in the process.

After the first two questions were addressed, Darren Whitehurst, vice president of the Texas Medical Association’s Division of Advocacy, briefed the crowd on what is going on with health care reform proposals in the U.S House and Senate, when they would likely have bills passed and what would happen afterward.

As talk returned to the final question of what people want from health care reform, Bailey said a huge part of any reform would be to preserve patient-physician relationships at all costs.

“Any health system reform has got to put the needs of patients first to keep what’s good and fix what’s broken,” she said.

BJ LEWIS can be reached at 940-566-6875. His e-mail address is blewis@dentonrc.com .