HealthContentAdvisors

The HealthCentral Network Acquires MedTrackAlert

• Posted June 10th 2008
• by Marji

The HealthCentral Network Inc. today announced its acquisition of MedTrackAlert LLC, a consumer health information company. This is the first acquisition for HealthCentral since receiving a minority investment from IAC/InteractiveCorp. The company’s network consists of more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health web sites.

Terms of the deal to acquire MedTrackAlert, which more than doubles the size of HealthCentral’s email newsletter reach, were not disclosed. MedTrackAlert’s email newsletters are received by opt-in audiences who are interested in a particular health topic and they provide timely alerts to help users manage their health conditions.

The acquisition is expected to provide these users with more relevant alerts about their conditions. MedTrackAlert’s news alerts will be offered along with HealthCentral’s existing email newsletters, which contain healthcare management tools and tips.

HealthCentral expects marketers to also benefit from the collaborative email newsletter effort through an expanded reach that enable them to reach patients through more than 2.4 million permission-based subscriptions and patient education programs. Before the acquisition, marketers could reach consumers through HealthCentral’s network of web site. Now they can reach their desired audience through condition-specific sites and newsletters; targeted permission-based email education programs; and CareCentral, HealthCentral’s private communities for those organizing caregiving activities.

This acquisition certainly is a smart move by The HealthCentral Network. Ownership of MedTrackAlert will enable the company to immediately make a stronger impact on both segments it serves–consumers seeking valuable and reliable health content and the advertisers who want to reach them with equally targeted messages.

Both of these segments will undoubtedly benefit from the robust information source that the combination of these two organizations has created.

Look for the network to become an even more powerful presence in the health information market. In a press release announcing this deal, The HealthCentral Network also announced intentions to further develop its portfolio by acquiring additional companies as well as building its own new offerings.