Leavitt Partners, the consulting firm formed by former Gov. Mike Leavitt, has been hired by Alliance Health Networks to help the developer of Web-based social health networks expand its revenues.

The two companies "will work jointly to identify strategic opportunities for Alliance Health to expand its footprint, reach new customers and partners and establish global distribution agreements," Salt Lake City-based Alliance said in a statement Thursday.

Alliance has created six social networks, each focused on a single disease or medical condition. Consumers can gain access to information and share their experiences with other people by using social networking tools.

The company's first network, DiabeticConnect.com, has 300,000 registered members. It is the largest online social site for people with the disease, Alliance said.

The Salt Lake Tribune