Federal, state, and local partnerships in providing primary care: one urban health department's endeavor with a state university medical center.

We describe how the federal government, the City of Chicago, and the State of Illinois worked together to increase the availability and accessibility of health care services on Chicago's underserved west side by reopening a bankrupt, federally-funded community health center. The federal government made the building available to the City which then contracted with a state university medical center to be the provider of services. This partnering has allowed the Chicago Department of Health to offer services in a previously underserved area. The University has gained an opportunity for community-based primary care teaching, as well as community relations. Patients have increased access to a wide variety of specialty and inpatient care. If public health providers are to be successful in this financial climate, they must look to new partners and new ways of delivering services to increase availability of services at a time when they are greatly needed.