Emory Healthcare and LifePoint Health announced that they have formed a joint venture to enhance access to, and delivery of high-quality, cost-effective care; improve the health of residents in Columbus, Ga., and surrounding communities; and strengthen the regional benefits of Emory’s health care expertise close to home. St. Francis Hospital in Columbus, which LifePoint has owned since 2016, will now be the first facility owned by the joint venture. Through the joint venture, St. Francis, Emory Healthcare and LifePoint will enhance the health care services available to people in Columbus and surrounding communities by developing and implementing quality, safety and patient care initiatives, with further emphasis in heart/vascular as well as other core service line programs. St. Francis also will continue collaborating with Emory and LifePoint to further its efforts to improve patient and provider experiences, enhance regional access to effective and efficient care and establish new programs to support the health and wellbeing of people across its service area. This will include implementing new population health strategies as well as other value-based payment and delivery systems through the joint venture. St. Francis providers and staff will also have access to training resources in quality management and clinical continuing education through Emory, in addition to those currently offered through LifePoint. The joint venture is a new entity co-owned by Emory Healthcare and LifePoint Health. It will be governed by a board with representation from both organizations.