WSJ: WebMD looking to transform from info provider to health engagement tool

NEW YORK — WebMD is in the process of transforming its flagship site for consumers, WebMD.com, from a one-stop shop for information to a platform people can engage with and take action to improve their health, the company's CFO Blake DeSimone shared with The Wall Street Journal in a report published Sunday.

"We can build upon products like our symptom checkers and provide our customers a variety of services like booking a doctor, ordering a lab test or having a telemedicine visit," DeSimone said, explaining how WebMD might execute against that transformation. "If a customer was searching for information on a certain condition and then read something on WebMD that motivated them to want to speak with a doctor, in the future, we’ll provide that person with the option of scheduling an appointment or engaging in a telemedicine visit."

Private equity firm KKR recently agreed to acquire WebMD in a deal valued at $2.8 billion, The Journal noted in its report. The KKR ownership will provide WebMD "flexibility and bolster its resources," according to the report.