Three leading health systems in North Carolina are forming a new shared services operating company, allowing them to gain benefits of scale while maintaining independence.

Vidant Health in Greenville, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem and WakeMed Health and Hospitals in Raleigh are forming the new company and they will work together to improve quality and affordability for patients across the state, according to a press release from Vidant Health Corporate Communications. The relationship will not include a merger or acquisition of organizations.

The partnership came about because the healthcare systems share similar missions, visions, values and strategic focus, the release said. Leaders from all three systems are confident success will come from partnering with other like-minded organizations to provide enhanced access and high-quality, affordable healthcare to patients and consumers.

“Our goal is to improve the quality and affordability of the care our member organizations provide, as well as to improve the health of the communities that each member serves, through innovation, shared learning and clinical and business efficiencies,” said a statement from Vidant Health Corporate Communications Specialist Beth Anne Atkins. “The new company brings together member organizations in ways that will help to advance medical education, clinical training and sharing of best practice medicine, all of which contribute directly to patient welfare.

According to the release, the new model provides support for healthcare reform initiatives, including Accountable Care Organization development and implementation, care coordination for population health, creating business and clinical efficiencies. The new company will also provide opportunities such as supply chain management, select IT infrastructure and clinical protocols for its member institutions, the release said.

“By joining together in this shared services company, we are able to take advantage of the collective talents of all of the members and have the opportunity to invest more in the care of our patients,” Vidant Health President and CEO Dr. David C. Herman said in the release.

The new company, which will be named in the near future, will also aid in meeting the challenges posed by declining Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement and technological changes while sparking enhanced clinical care for patients, according to the release. Vidant Health has a history of partnering with other organizations to help improve the health of the communities it serves, and this collaboration will not impact existing partnerships.

“The idea behind what we’re doing is to help us all save money,” said Vidant Health Corporate Communications Specialist Christine Mackey. “As we can save on different things, it helps the entire system.”