Shares of health care information site WebMD (WBMD) shot up more than 8 percent Wednesday, and some analysts cited chatter that the company could be a takeover target for Google (GOOG) as the reason for the stock’s pop.

Anthony Petrone, an analyst with Maxim Group, thinks that WebMD is a compelling takeover target because of its leading position in online health care and the fact that there has been such a major wave of consolidation in the Internet advertising market during the past few months.

And since WebMD is the clear leader in health care online, Petrone said an acquisition of the company could give Google a leg up over Time Warner’s (TWX) AOL Health channel - Time Warner also is the parent of CNNMoney.com - as well as RevolutionHealth, a start-up led by former AOL chairman Steve Case.

Chris Sherman, executive editor of SearchEngineLand.com, a Web site that focuses on the Internet advertising business, said he thought the Google for WebMD talk also had some merit, especially since Google has shown an increased willingness to use its cash to buy industry leaders in niches where Google does not have a dominant presence.

“Up until a year ago I would have said this rumor would not have made sense because of Google’s focus on a home grown approach. But the acquisition of YouTube changed things. Google went after a leader in the video space. So i think it’s entirely possible that they could be interested in WebMD since they are one of the leaders in health care.”

That said, Petrone did not think that WebMD is looking to sell at this time and that because WebMD is a publicly traded subsidiary of healthcare information company HLTH Corp. (HLTH), negotiating a takeover of WebMD could be complicated.

But Sherman added that a recent management change at Google’s healthcare business could be a sign that Google may be gearing up for a deal. SearchEngineLand.com broke the news Tuesday that Adam Bosworth, an executive in charge of Google’s beta health site, has left the company.

Sherman said that since Google has, for the most part, allowed the existing management teams of companies it has acquired to keep running the show once they are part of the Google empire, Bosworth’s departure could be telling since it may indicate that Google is in fact looking to buy a health care Web site.

A spokesperson for WebMD was not immediately available for comment about the takeover rumors. A spokesperson for Google said the company does not comment on market speculation, but did release a statement about Bosworth’s departure.

“Adam is a great talent and was instrumental in starting Google Health. He is now on vacation and has decided to pursue other opportunities after that. Marissa Mayer is taking over the health team in the interim until a new team leader takes over. Google is moving forward with work on our health products,” the company said.

Mayer is also in charge of product management for all of Google’s search products and is one of the key executives at the company.