Contracts for operation of hospitals, programs and services. The Board of Commissioners may contract with one or more responsible corporations, hospitals, health care facilities or units of local government or with the governing authorities of any institution of higher education, and specifically may enter into joint ventures and reciprocal agreements with the University of Illinois Hospital, for the operation of any hospital, health or allied medical research programs and for the provision of any medical, surgical, or nursing, health, research or laboratory services which the county has been or may be required or authorized by law to provide, and the Board may contract for any other service for the convenience of its operations as it may deem advisable.