Bell Atlantic and EMX Team Up to Provide Doctors Instant Online Access to Medical Data

Bell Atlantic and EMX Team Up to Provide Doctors Instant
Online Access to Medical Data

New EMX Service Rides on Bell Atlantic's High-Speed ISDN
Lines; Promises Improved Patient Care, Lower Health Care Costs

February 23, 1999

NEW YORK -- Thousands of doctors in metropolitan New York soon
will have instant online access to patient information and the latest
medical research, a development that could vastly improve health care --
especially in emergencies.

Bell Atlantic and EMX, a New York-based company that provides
information services to the healthcare industry, are working together to
give physicians an online view of medical data and the ability to
electronically process insurance and billing claims, saving time and
money.

In April, Bell Atlantic will begin installing high-speed ISDN (Integrated
Services Digital Network) lines to connect the first 2,500 subscribers to a
central EMX database, giving physicians access to patient information
from a desktop computer at their office or the hospital.

In addition, the high-speed lines will link healthcare providers to EMX's
new online network, e-DOCTOR^TM, so they can process insurance claims or
access a medical library for the latest information on advanced surgical
procedures and general healthcare news.

"Bell Atlantic is committed to delivering innovative services that help
healthcare providers improve patient care and operate more efficiently,"
said Bruce Gordon, group president -- Bell Atlantic Enterprise Business.
"By working with EMX, we will enable hospitals and physicians to
respond quickly and effectively to patient needs, whether during an
emergency or a routine office visit."

Doctors gain access to the EMX database by swiping a Universal Health
Card in a magnetic card reader located at their office or a hospital.
Physicians must enter an authorization code to view patient information.

By using the Universal Health Card, doctors can quickly learn if a patient
is undergoing medical treatment, taking prescription medication or is
allergic to certain drugs -- information that is particularly critical in
emergency situations.

"The e-DOCTOR platform is part of our strategy to provide a full suite of
advanced communications services to meet the needs of our healthcare
customers," said Joseph LaManna, Bell Atlantic sales director-Healthcare,
for metropolitan New York. "These offerings range from high-speed
digital data and voice services like ISDN, frame relay and ADSL
(Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line), to the installation and maintenance
of personal computers, printers and scanners."

Bell Atlantic also will provide e-DOCTOR customers with voice, data and
fax services.

"The e-DOCTOR system puts the emphasis on patient care while
streamlining administrative tasks," said Norman Schibuk, chief
information officer of EMX. "The reliability of Bell Atlantic's high-speed
network, combined with our comprehensive system to manage patient
information, will help doctors and administrators improve patient care and
reduce costs."

The Queens Medical Society and Our Lady of Mercy Healthcare System
in the Bronx are the first customers to sign up for e-DOCTOR.

"We are working closely with Bell Atlantic and EMX to enable the
thousands of members of the Queens Medical Society to provide the
highest quality of patient care through advanced technology," said Richard
Gasalberti, M.D. and president of the Queens Medical Society. "And e-
DOCTOR allows only authorized parties to view information, protecting
the confidentiality of our patients."

Jim Lee, chief operating officer of Our Lady of Mercy Healthcare System,
said: "We are always looking for ways to help our physicians spend less
time on paperwork and more time with patients. This joint effort with
Bell Atlantic and EMX provides doctors with a system that enables them
to better manage the complete care of their patients."

Benefits Are Many

The e-DOCTOR network provides physicians and administrators with a
comprehensive way to manage the ongoing treatment of patients. It also
provides patients with the piece of mind that important medical
information will be available instantly if they select a new doctor or must
see a specialist.

Some other benefits of the system include:

For patients:

• Maintains a confidential, consolidated health record
• Tracks prescription history
• Eliminates need to fill out duplicative medical and insurance forms
• Reduces risk of injury or delays in treatment due to inadequate
  information in an emergency

For physicians / administrators:

• Saves time and reduces mistakes in patient processing
• Expedites medical treatment by quickly providing patient's clinical,
  demographic and insurance information
• Increases patient satisfaction by streamlining admissions process
• Provides identification of patients unable to communicate

Records are Kept Under Lock and Key:

Confidentiality is tightly guarded on the e-DOCTOR network. Physicians
and other authorized users are assigned a code they must use, along with
the patient's personal identification number (PIN), to view patient
information or insurance records. All users must receive permission from
the patient before accessing any personal information. Patients may
access their own information by using their PIN.

e-DOCTOR subscribers are permitted to view only what is essential to
complete their task and will be denied access to other records. For
instance, a hospital administrator is only allowed to view a patient's
insurance records and billing information, while a physician will have
access to test results, current medication and insurance records, and an
insurance company can retrieve electronically processed insurance forms.

Bell Atlantic's Enterprise Services Organization offers an extensive suite
of communications solutions. Whether for voice, data, images or video,
Bell Atlantic's All@Once Solutions represents a tailored approach for
customers. To learn more about All@Once Solutions -- a perfect fit for
business -- visit www.bellatlantic.com/largebiz/, or call 1-800-846-1200,
ext. 7299.

Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and
information industry. With more than 42 million telephone access lines
and 8.6 million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies
are premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data services, market
leaders in wireless services and the world's largest publishers of directory
information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world's largest
investors in high-growth global communications markets, with operations
and investments in 23 countries.

Founded in 1993, EMX specializes in medical information connectivity
systems for the healthcare industry. EMX provides patients, physicians
and medical organizations with innovative solutions for medical
information access and distribution in a secure and user-friendly
environment.