Virtual US healthcare provider acquires French firm

Deal opens up Europe’s third largest market

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Paris-based tele-medicine provider MédecinDirect has been bought by New York-headquartered Teladoc Health for an undisclosed sum.

The deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, is set to close during the first half of 2019 and will see MédecinDirect become the French country unit of Teladoc Health.

It joins existing operations in the UK, Australia, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, China, Chile and Brazil.

Broader spectrum of services

The French healthcare provider has partnerships with 40 insurers and nearly half of the “top 30 private medical insurers” in the country, the US firm said.

The acquisition means that its client base “can now benefit from access to a much broader spectrum of clinical services”, it added.

“We have had great success in the virtual care market; and now, together with Teladoc Health, we can meet more care needs for more individuals, and ultimately help improve healthcare across the country,” said Francois Lescure, chief executive and co-founder, MédecinDirect.

Serving multinational clients

According to Teledoc; France, like many countries around the world, is facing growing demand for convenient access to high-quality healthcare.

Carlos Nueno

Consumer awareness of virtual case is “on the rise” and the recent positive regulatory changes regarding virtual care reimbursement “make the market ripe for virtual care adoption”, the firm said.

“With a continued focus on our global expansion, we will now become the market leader in France with the ability to have an immediate impact on healthcare delivery in the country,” said Carlos Nueno, president of Teladoc Health International.

“On the successful foundation built by MédecinDirect, we will bring our full suite of virtual care services to multinational clients who have been eager to expand.”

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