WebMD buys employee wellbeing platform StayWell from Merck

Health information firm WebMD has bought The StayWell Company, a subsidiary of US-based Merck & Co.

Based in Yardley, Pennsylvania, The StayWell Company will operate as an independent subsidiary of WebMD, as the companies build on and integrate products, platforms, and services.

The StayWell Company has products including its core StayWell employee wellbeing platform and the Krames clinical patient education platform.

These deliver employee and patient engagement and empowerment solutions for more than 4 million employees, more than 1,500 health systems and hospitals, and eight of the 10 largest health payers in the US.

The aim of the deal is to allow WebMD and StayWell to use their combined scale to increase the reach of the products.

StayWell has been working in employer wellbeing and patient education for more than 40 years, and is majority-owned by Healthcare Services & Solutions, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck & Co.

As well as its Pennsylvania headquarters, the company has additional locations including St Paul, Minnesota and Portland, Oregon.

Financial details were not disclosed.

Bob Brisco, WebMD CEO, said: "StayWell and WebMD have more than 60 years of combined experience driving positive evidence-based health behaviour change for patients and employees.

"This transaction will enable our organisations to deliver even more powerful customer solutions that can improve health, lower health risks, and reduce healthcare costs."

Nicole Latimer, StayWell CEO, added: "StayWell and WebMD both focus on developing health education and employee well-being programs that engage and empower individuals wherever they may be in their personal health journey.

“We are confident that the combination will bring even greater value to the businesses, governments, healthcare providers, payers, and associations that we serve.”

WebMD is owned by Internet Brands is a fully integrated online media and software services organisation focused on four categories: health, automotive, legal, and home/travel.

Internet Brands is a portfolio company of KKR and Temasek.