More than 1,500 doctors at 23 central and south Georgia hospitals have joined together to form Stratus Healthcare. The new venture will allow the physicians and facilities to share the same service model while remaining independent institutions.

William T. Richardson, CEO of Tift Regional Medical Center, said that Stratus Healthcare will work to establish and exchange best practices in every healthcare arena, share resources among member hospitals, develop a coordinated system for sharing information, reduce healthcare costs and collaboratively manage and improve population health in the area.

Stratus will consist of nearly two dozen hospitals, including:

Coffee Regional Medical Center (Douglas),  South Georgia Medical Center Health System, South Georgia Medical Center (Valdosta), Smith Northview Hospital (Valdosta), Louis Smith Memorial Hospital (Lakeland), Clinch Memorial Hospital (Homerville), SGMC-Berrien Campus (Nashville), Tift Regional Health System, Tift Regional Medical Center (Tifton), and Cook Medical Center (Adel).

Read more from Becker’s Hospital Review here.