Dive Brief:
- WebMD CEO David Schlanger said during an earnings call on Tuesday the company will "likely" enter the telehealth space through an acquisition or partnership as prices have started to moderate, Modern Healthcare reports.
- An analyst at Cowen & Co. says WebMD has been interested in the space for some time, though Schlanger did not provide a timeframe.
- According to a report from Accenture, healthcare is the second-fastest growing sector for on-demand services, with one-fifth of total U.S. funding.
Dive Insight:
“We believe that alternative primary care like telehealth will eventually gain a wider adoption, and we think that WebMD is well-positioned to provide access to those services because of the trust in our brands and our distribution,” Schlanger said during the earnings call.
A Cowen & Co. analyst, Charles Rhyee, says WebMD has long been interested in the telemedicine space, and the earnings call comments increase the likelihood that it could actually forge a deal.