New business models.

When the conversation begins about a health care delivery model that is unsustainable and then progresses to discussing new business models worth pursuing, the effort of several Miami hospitals shouldn’t be on the list:

Jackson Memorial has teamed up with other local hospitals to market Miami as a health-care destination. The institutions have ponied up $12,500 each for an initial campaign. And they launched a Web site, MiamiHealthCare.org.

People coming to the United States for their health care is a good thing, it’s a good thing for American health care to be perceived as the leader.  And it’s also an understandable effort by the hospitals as it becomes increasingly difficult to sustain operations in the current system.  But the same things that are bringing foreign patients to Miami hospitals (quality health care and cheap flights) are sending American patients to foreign hospitals (plus the promise/execution of lower costs).  That model isn’t sustainable either.