Several investment funds managed by noted financier George Soros have acquired almost 6.3 million shares of Emdeon, the Nashville-based processor of health care payments.

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday, Soros Fund Management said it owned 7.1 percent of Emdeon as of Sept. 23, six weeks to the day after Emdeon went public.

Soros, who has over the years made waves with his trades in the British pound and emerging markets, has reportedly booked a profit of more than $1 billion during the financial turmoil of the last 18 months. His New York-based firm controls more than $2.7 billion in U.S.-traded stocks. Based on its second-quarter filings, its investment in Emdeon is the first in a Nashville-based public company.

Since going public, shares of Emdeon (Ticker: EM) have fallen about 6 percent. During the same time, the S&P 500 has risen about 5 percent.