America Online, Inc., and WebMD Corp. are forming a strategic alliance that will make the Elmwood, N.J.-based WebMD the primary provider of healthcare content, tools and services across several key AOL brands, including AOL, AOL.com, CompuServe, and Netscape.com. AOL also announced a content agreement with The Dr. Spock Company, a source for advice and information on the health and development of children.

Financial terms of the deals were not disclosed.

WebMD will create a co-branded personalized health service for the AOL brands. This new service will feature WebMD's personalized news, health assessment and monitoring tools, communities and newsletters, integrated with AOL's calendaring and reminders.

The companies will also work to provide users with the ability to communicate with their personal healthcare community, including health plans, physicians, pharmacies, and other providers.

WebMD's content, tools and services will begin a phased rollout across the Health Channels of the AOL brands beginning later this month, with a full implementation expected by the end of the year. The companies will also work together to create and market unique advertising, commerce and programming for AOL's Health Channels and will share revenue from these opportunities.

"We're pleased to enter into this alliance with WebMD, one of the most trusted brands in online healthcare information and services," said Barry Schuler, chairman and chief executive officer of the Dulles, Va.-based AOL. "Healthcare is one of the primary reasons people go online, and we're always looking to bring our members the very best resources, tools, and information available, in one convenient location."

Martin J. Wygod, chairman and CEO of WebMD added, "We are delighted to join in this new alliance with America Online, the leading interactive services company in the world. Together, America Online, via the Health Channels on its brands, and WebMD, through its health programming network, will reach tens of millions of online consumers seeking healthcare information, and enable the companies to bring substantial value to healthcare partners and sponsors seeking to bring members and customers to their brands and services."

The Dr. Spock content will be available the Parenting Channels and Health Channels of AOL and CompuServe.

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"Our agreement with America Online delivers the inspiration of Dr. Benjamin Spock to parents from whole new generations, providing timeless child-rearing techniques with the click of a mouse," said Doug Lee, president and CEO of The Dr. Spock Company, which is based in Menlo Park, Calif. "The alliance is a key component to our online strategy because it provides parents with an around-the-clock expert resource, and extends our brand and trusted content from the print to the online world."

AOL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AOL Time Warner.