HEALTH INFORMATION NETWORK RECEIVES $50,000 BOOSTER SHOT FROM BELL ATLANTIC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 6, 1996

HEALTH INFORMATION NETWORK RECEIVES
$50,000 BOOSTER SHOT
FROM BELL ATLANTIC

Award is first under $200,000 Bell Atlantic
HEALTH CONNECT
Grant
Program

CHARLESTON, W.VA. - An innovative project to create an 12-county
health information network in central and southern West Virginia has
received a $50,000 grant from Bell Atlantic-West Virginia, Inc. The
recipient, Partners in Health Network, Inc., will use the grant to
establish communications capabilities for sharing health information
among the participating "partners."

Today's award is the first under the Bell Atlantic HEALTH CONNECT
Grant Program, which was developed to support health-care solutions
using telecommunications technology. Through the program, Bell
Atlantic will award up to $200,000 in grants, with individual grants
up to $50,000. [See accompanying fact sheet for more information on
the HEALTH CONNECT Grant Program.]

With the grant funds, the Partners in Health Network will purchase
personal computers, printers and associated software. The
participating health-care providers will be linked by a direct,
digital data communications link that will enable them to exchange
administrative, financial and clinical information more quickly and
efficiently.

Initial applications of the network include access to the Internet,
electronic mail and MedLine, a medical bibliographical and reference
library.

"The mission of the Partners in Health Network is to create an
integrated health-care delivery network that provides the full
continuum of services for the communities served by the partners,"
said Tommy Mullins, president of Partners in Health Network, Inc.
"Bell Atlantic's support through its HEALTH CONNECT program will go
a
long way toward implementation of this creative, much-needed project
in West Virginia."

"Delivering low-cost, high-quality health care is one of the
greatest
challenges facing our nation and our state," said Dennis Bone,
president and CEO of Bell Atlantic-West Virginia, Inc. "We believe
that telecommunications can play a crucial role in addressing the
problem."

"Bell Atlantic's HEALTH CONNECT program is designed to recognize and
foster technologically advanced health-care solutions. And the
Partners in Health Network is an excellent example of a group of
health-care providers who are seeking forward-looking, non-traditional
ways to meet this challenge," said Bone.

The Partners in Health Network originally began in 1990 as an informal
alliance between Boone Memorial Hospital and Charleston Area Medical
Center [CAMC] to share information and educational resources. The
Partners in Health Network now includes Beckley Appalachian Regional
Hospital, Boone Memorial Hospital, Braxton County Memorial Hospital,
CAMC, Jackson General Hospital, Man Appalachian Regional Hospital,
Montgomery General Hospital, Plateau Medical Center, Roane General
Hospital, Roane County Family Health Care Center, Summers County
Appalachian Regional Hospital and Williamson Appalachian Regional
Hospital.

Bell Atlantic Corporation (NYSE: BEL) is at the forefront of the new
communications, entertainment and information industry. In the
mid-Atlantic region, the company is the premier provider of local
telecommunications and advanced services. Globally, it is one of the
largest investors in the high-growth wireless communication
marketplace. Bell Atlantic also owns a substantial interest in
Telecom Corporation of New Zealand and is actively developing
high-growth national and international business opportunities in all
phases of the industry.

####

for more information, contact:

Bell Atlantic:
Harry Mitchell, 304-344-7562
harry.j.mitchell@bell-atl.com

Partners in Health Network, Inc.:
Beth Kelly, 304-348-7619