Mediconsult Acquires Award-Winning Pregnancy and Parenting Web Site
Acquisition Strengthens Mediconsult Focus On Active Online Healthcare Communities
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 28, 1999--Mediconsult.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:MCNS - news; www.mediconsult.com), the leading provider of condition-specific healthcare information on the Internet, today announced it has agreed to purchase StorkNet, an award-winning pregnancy and parenting destination (www.storknet.org).
''The addition of StorkNet to our network supports our ongoing strategy of acquiring deep content and active communities,'' said Ian Sutcliffe, president of Mediconsult. ''Our sites are 'sticky,' meaning the visitors spend time interacting with our content and services, and StorkNet - with a very high average visit duration - is no exception.''
Sutcliffe continued, ''As we incorporate additional resources targeting expectant mothers from the other Mediconsult sites, like drug and nutrition information, we anticipate visitor loyalty will increase. The acquisition supports our revenue model because we know that this highly engaged population is an attractive demographic to our sponsors.''
''Consumers looking for medical information on the Web want compelling content from a reliable source,'' commented Dr. Beth Nash, chief medical officer of Mediconsult. ''StorkNet is compelling and reliable, and is highly relevant to the 75 percent female audience of Mediconsult. Pregnancy, childbirth and parenting information also is relevant to our physician members who want to integrate robust content onto their own branded Web site, which we provide.''
Maribeth Doerr, founder of StorkNet, noted Mediconsult's strategy of empowering consumers to manage their health with in-depth medical information, active community support and interactive tools dovetails with her site's model.
''We want to prepare our visitors to speak discerningly to their healthcare providers about issues surrounding childbirth,'' said Doerr. ''Pregnancy is an exciting time but can be overwhelming. Having been through several high-risk pregnancies, I understand the complexities of the pregnancy process. StorkNet helps expectant parents inform and educate themselves.''
Doerr will assume the role of director of pregnancy, childbirth and early parenting for Mediconsult. She brings to the Mediconsult sites and communities a wealth of professional expertise including training in childbirth education, advisory appointments to several pregnancy organizations and more than four years of experience with Prodigy's medical Web sites.
About Mediconsult.com, Inc.
Mediconsult.com, Inc. through its sites and communities is a leading provider of physician and patient healthcare information and services on the World Wide Web. Founded in 1996 with its flagship Web site, www.mediconsult.com, the company's mission is to improve patient outcomes through information and tools that educate doctors, empower patients and build on the doctor/patient relationship. This unique, integrated approach has resulted in the largest and most loyal following of medical Web site visitors and a leadership position in the online health industry.
The Mediconsult sites and communities include:
Mediconsult.com (www.mediconsult.com), the medical Web destination
patients use most;
Mydoctor.com (www.mydoctor.com), visit your doctor online;
Physicians' Online (www.pol.net), the world's largest online physician
community;
Heart Information (www.heartinfo.com), heart health for patients and
physicians;
PharmInfo (www.pharminfo.com), current and in-depth drug information;
Cyberdiet (www.cyberdiet.com), fitness and nutrition resource and
community;
INCIID (www.inciid.org), infertility information and support;
Mediconsultinc.com (www.mediconsultinc.com), redefining medicine
through the Internet.
Certain statements in this release, such as management's view of future revenues and expenses, may be forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Potential risks and uncertainties include such factors as acceptance of the Company's products and services, competition and other risks described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Mediconsult
Ellen L. Turbeville, 914-332-6100 (ext. 283)
eturbeville@mediconsult.com
or
Corporate Ink
Mary Franzen, 617-969-9192
mfranzen@corporateink.com |
