A study of physician distribution in Illinois counties from 1969-1979 showed smallest increases in low-population counties and largest in middle-sized cities. The major result of establishment of regional medical education centers is not a general diffusion of physicians but concentration in tertiary care centers with the new educational programs.…

The expanded role of medical schools in the planning for health care services delivery is discussed. Under the 1979 Congressional amendments to the National Health Planning and Resource Development Act, community health planners must consider the impact of proposed health projects on area medical education research and training programs.…

The flow of medical information to pediatricians in rural areas needs improvement. Pediatricians' perceived needs seem to change with their increasing distance from the university/hospital teaching center. A regional program in Illinois has been able to improve communications for determining education need in rural areas. (MSE)

A case study of the University of Chicago Medical Center highlights the tensions, strains, and resistances that inhibit the development of an urban health care system. It raises questions about the role of the research and teaching hospital in regional health care planning, especially as suburban facilities are drawing away patients. (Author/LBH)