MedicaLogic/Medscape Sells Online Health Information Division to WebMD
MedicaLogic/Medscape last week sold its Medscape online health information unit, including Medscape's Medical Professional and Health for Consumers Web sites, to competitor WebMD, the Portland Oregonian reports. The $10 million cash deal will help MedicaLogic sustain its electronic medical records business until the company can find a buyer for that unit. MedicaLogic hired an investment banker to find a buyer in July, after the company was forced to lay off more than 20% of its 1,100 workers (Rojas-Burke, Portland Oregonian, 12/27/01). Meanwhile, WebMD announced that Medscape's Medical Professional portal will become WebMD's online brand of medical information and services for clinicians. The Medscape services will also be integrated into WebMD's physician practice management software, Medical Manager, and its electronic transaction service, WebMD Envoy. WebMD will continue to market WebMD Health as its source of online health information for consumers (WebMD release, 12/26/01).
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