THERATX INC /DE/
8-K, 1997-02-10
SKILLED NURSING CARE FACILITIES
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<PAGE>1
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT


     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934



Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):    February 9, 1997





                              THERATX, INCORPORATED
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)


   Delaware                         0-24292                      33-0359338
(State or other                 (Commission File                (IRS Employer
jurisdiction of                    Number)                   Identification No.)
incorporation)



105 Sanctuary Parkway, Suite 100, Alpharetta, Georgia              30201
(Address of principal executive offices)                         (Zip Code)



Registrant's telephone number, including area code:   (770) 569-1840





                                Not Applicable
         (Former name or former address, if changed from last report)



<PAGE>2




Item 5.  Other Events

         (a) On February 9, 1997, TheraTx, Incorporated (the "Company") executed
an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger  Agreement")  with Vencor,  Inc., a
Delaware  corporation  ("Vencor"),  and  Peach  Acquisition  Corp.,  a  Delaware
corporation  and wholly owned  subsidiary of Vencor ("Merger Sub"),  pursuant to
which,  subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement,  (i) Merger
Sub will commence a tender offer (the "Offer") for all of the outstanding shares
of the common  stock,  par value $.001 per share,  of the Company  (the  "Common
Stock"), together with the associated rights (the "Rights") to purchase Series A
Junior  Participating  Preferred  Stock of the  Company at a price of $17.10 per
share in cash (net to the  seller)  and (ii) Merger Sub will merge with and into
the Company  (the  "Merger"),  pursuant to which each share of Common Stock (and
the  associated  Rights) will be converted  into the right to receive $17.10 per
share,  in cash.  Consummation  of the Offer and the  Merger is  subject  to the
satisfaction  or waiver of  certain  conditions  including,  among  others,  the
expiration  or  termination   of  any   applicable   waiting  period  under  the
Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, the receipt of
any other required  regulatory  approvals,  and the absence of certain  material
adverse changes  related to the Company or Vencor.  Consummation of the Offer is
also  subject to the valid  tender of a majority  of the total  shares of Common
Stock  outstanding on a fully diluted basis. The closing is expected to occur as
soon as practicable  after the  satisfaction  of the conditions set forth in the
Merger  Agreement.  The description of the Merger Agreement  contained herein is
qualified  in its  entirety  by  reference  to the  Merger  Agreement,  which is
attached hereto as Exhibit 2.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

         On  February  10,  1997,  Vencor and the  Company  issued a joint press
release relating to the execution of the Merger  Agreement.  A copy of the press
release  is  attached  hereto  as  Exhibit  99.1 and is  incorporated  herein by
reference.

         (b) As of February  9, 1997,   the  Company  and U.S.  Stock   Transfer
Corporation  (the   "Rights  Agent")  executed Amendment No.  1 ("Amendment  No.
1") to that certain  Rights Agreement,  dated  as of July 28,  1995, between the
Company  and the   Rights  Agent (the   "Rights Agreement").  Amendment   No.  1
relates  to  changes  in  the  Rights  Agreement  required   as a result  of the
execution   of  the   Merger   Agreement   and  the  transactions   contemplated
thereby.   The   description   of    Amendment   No.  1  contained   herein   is
qualified  in its  entirety by  reference to Amendment No. 1, which is  attached
hereto as Exhibit 4.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

         (a)  Financial Statements of businesses acquired:

                  None.

         (b)  Pro Forma financial information:

                  None.



<PAGE>3




         (c)  Exhibits:

                  2.1    Agreement  and Plan of Merger,  dated as of February 9,
                         1997, by and among Vencor, Inc., a Delaware corporation
                         ("Vencor"),   Peach   Acquisition   Corp.,  a  Delaware
                         corporation  and a wholly owned  subsidiary  of Vencor,
                         and TheraTx,  Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the
                         "Company").

                  4.1    Amendment  No.  1  to  Rights  Agreement, dated as of
                         February 9,  1997, between  the Company  and U.S. Stock
                         Transfer Corporation.

                  99.1   Joint   Press   Release of  Vencor   and the   Company
                         dated February 10, 1997.



<PAGE>4




                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



                                            THERATX, INCORPORATED



                                            /s/ Donald R. Myll
                                            Name:     Donald R. Myll
                                            Title:    Senior Vice President and
                                                      Chief Financial Officer


Dated: February 10, 1997



<PAGE>5




                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit

2.1           Agreement  and Plan of Merger,  dated as of February 9,
              1997, by and among Vencor, Inc., a Delaware corporation
              ("Vencor"),   Peach   Acquisition   Corp.,  a  Delaware
              corporation  and a  wholly-owned  subsidiary of Vencor,
              and TheraTx,  Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the
              "Company"). *

4.1           Amendment No.  1 to Rights Agreement,  dated as  of
              February 9,  1997, between  the Company  and U.S. Stock
              Transfer Corporation.

99.1          Joint  Press  Release of Vencor  and the  Company
              dated February 10, 1997.












- --------
*        The Registrant  hereby agrees to furnish  supplementally  a copy of any
         omitted  schedules  to this  Agreement to the  Securities  and Exchange
         Commission upon its request.




<PAGE>
                          AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER


                  AGREEMENT  AND  PLAN  OF  MERGER   (hereinafter   called  this
"Agreement"),  dated as of  February  9, 1997,  among  TheraTx,  Incorporated  a
Delaware  corporation  (the  "Company"),  Vencor,  Inc., a Delaware  corporation
("Purchaser"),  and  Peach  Acquisition  Corp.,  a  Delaware  corporation  and a
wholly-owned  subsidiary of Purchaser ("Merger Sub"), the Company and Merger Sub
sometimes  being  hereinafter  collectively  referred  to  as  the  "Constituent
Corporations."


                                    RECITALS

                  WHEREAS,  the Boards of Directors of Purchaser and the Company
each have unanimously approved of this Agreement,  the Offer (as defined herein)
and the  Merger  (as  defined  herein)  and  determined  that it is in the  best
interests  of their  respective  companies  and  stockholders  for  Purchaser to
acquire  the  Company  upon the terms and  subject to the  conditions  set forth
herein; and

                  WHEREAS, the Company,  Purchaser and Merger Sub desire to make
certain representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in connection with
this Agreement.

                  NOW, THEREFORE,  in consideration of the premises,  and of the
representation,  warranties,  covenants  and  agreements  contained  herein  the
parties hereto hereby agree as follows:


                                   ARTICLE I

                               The Tender Offer

                  1.1. Tender Offer.  (a) Provided that this Agreement shall not
have been terminated in accordance with Article IX hereof and none of the events
set forth in Annex A hereto  shall have  occurred  or be  existing,  within five
business  days of the date hereof,  Merger Sub will commence a tender offer (the
"Offer") for all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per
share of the Company (the  "Shares"),  together  with the  associated  rights to
purchase (the "Rights")  Series A Junior  Participating  Preferred  Stock of the
Company (the "Series A Preferred")  at a price of $17.10 per Share in cash,  net
to the  seller,  subject  only to the  conditions  set  forth in Annex A hereto.
Subject to the terms and  conditions of the Offer,  Purchaser  will promptly pay
for all Shares duly tendered.  The Company's  Board of Directors shall recommend
acceptance of the Offer to its stockholders in a Solicitation/Recommendation

<PAGE>


Statement  on  Schedule  14D-9  (the  "Schedule  14D-9")  to be  filed  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") upon commencement of the Offer.

                   (b) Purchaser agrees, as to the Offer to Purchase and related
Letter of Transmittal (which together  constitute the "Offer Documents") and the
Company  agrees,  as to the Schedule  14D-9,  that such documents  shall, in all
material respects,  comply with the requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act
of  1934,  as  amended  (the  "Exchange  Act")  and the  rules  and  regulations
thereunder and other  applicable  laws.  The Company and its counsel,  as to the
Offer Documents, and Merger Sub and its counsel, as to the Schedule 14D-9, shall
be given an opportunity to review such documents prior to their being filed with
the SEC.

                   (c) In connection with the Offer,  the Company will cause its
Transfer Agent to furnish promptly to Merger Sub a list, as of a recent date, of
the  record  holders of Shares and their  addresses,  as well as mailing  labels
containing  the names and addresses of all record holders of Shares and lists of
security  positions  of Shares  held in stock  depositories.  The  Company  will
furnish Merger Sub with such additional information (including,  but not limited
to, updated lists of holders of Shares and their  addresses,  mailing labels and
lists of security  positions)  and such other  assistance as Purchaser or Merger
Sub or their agents may  reasonably  request in  communicating  the Offer to the
record and beneficial holders of Shares.


                                  ARTICLE II

                      The Merger; Closing; Effective Time

                  2.1. The Merger.  Subject to the terms and  conditions of this
Agreement, at the Effective Time (as defined in Section 2.3) Merger Sub shall be
merged with and into the Company and the separate corporate  existence of Merger
Sub shall  thereupon  cease (the  "Merger").  The Company shall be the surviving
corporation in the Merger (sometimes  hereinafter  referred to as the "Surviving
Corporation")  and shall  continue  to be  governed  by the laws of the State of
Delaware,  and the  separate  corporate  existence  of the Company  with all its
rights, privileges,  immunities, powers and franchises shall continue unaffected
by the Merger,  except as set forth in Section  3.1.  The Merger  shall have the
effects specified in the Delaware General Corporation Law (the "DGCL").

                  2.2.   Closing.   The closing  of the  Merger (the  "Closing")
shall take place (i) at the offices  of Sullivan &  Cromwell, 125 Broad  Street,
New York, New York at  10:00 A.M.  on the  first business day on which  the last
to be fulfilled  or waived of  the conditions set  forth in Article  VIII hereof
shall

<PAGE>


be fulfilled or waived in accordance  with this  Agreement or (ii) at such other
place and time and/or on such other date as the Company and Purchaser may agree.

                  2.3.  Effective  Time.  As soon as  practicable  following the
Closing,  and provided that this Agreement has not been  terminated or abandoned
pursuant  to Article IX  hereof,  the  Company  and the  Purchaser  will cause a
Certificate of Merger (the "Delaware  Certificate of Merger") to be executed and
filed with the  Secretary of State of Delaware as provided in Section 251 of the
DGCL (or,  if  permitted,  Section  253 of the DGCL).  The Merger  shall  become
effective on the date on which the Delaware  Certificate of Merger has been duly
filed with the  Secretary  of State of  Delaware,  and such time is  hereinafter
referred to as the "Effective Time."


                                  ARTICLE III

                   Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws
                         of the Surviving Corporation

                  3.1. The  Certificate  of  Incorporation.  The  Certificate of
Incorporation of the Company (the "Certificate") in effect at the Effective Time
shall be the Certificate of  Incorporation of the Surviving  Corporation,  until
duly  amended in  accordance  with the terms  thereof and the DGCL,  except that
Article  IV of the  Certificate  shall be  amended  to read in its  entirety  as
follows unless the event  contemplated by Section 7.14(iii) shall have occurred,
in  which  case  Article  IV of the  Certificate  shall  not be  amended  at the
Effective Time:

         "The aggregate  number of shares which the  Corporation  shall have the
         authority  to issue is 1,000 shares of Common  Stock,  par value $0.001
         per share."

                  3.2.  The Bylaws.  The  Bylaws of Merger Sub in effect  at the
Effective Time  shall be  the Bylaws  of the  Surviving Corporation,  until duly
amended in accordance with the terms thereof and the DGCL.


                                  ARTICLE IV

                            Officers and Directors
                         of the Surviving Corporation

                  4.1.   Officers and  Directors.   The directors  of Merger Sub
and the officers of the Company at the Effective Time shall, from and after  the
Effective Time, be  the directors and  officers, respectively, of  the Surviving
Corporation until their successors

<PAGE>


have been duly elected or appointed and qualified or until their earlier  death,
resignation   or  removal  in  accordance   with  the  Surviving   Corporation's
Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws.

                  4.2.  Board of  Directors;  Committees.  (a) If  requested  by
Purchaser,  the Company will,  promptly  following the purchase by Merger Sub of
Shares  pursuant  to the Offer,  take all  actions  necessary  to cause  persons
designated  by  Purchaser  to become  directors of the Company so that the total
number of such persons  equals that number of directors,  rounded up to the next
whole number,  which represents the product of (x) the total number of directors
on the board of directors of the Company (the "Board of  Directors")  multiplied
by (y) the percentage that the number of Shares so accepted for payment plus any
Shares  beneficially  owned by  Purchaser or its  affiliates  on the date hereof
bears to the number of Shares  outstanding  at the time of such  acceptance  for
payment. In furtherance thereof, the Company will increase the size of the Board
of  Directors,  or use its  reasonable  efforts  to secure  the  resignation  of
directors,  or both,  as is  necessary  to permit  Purchaser's  designees  to be
elected  to the  Board  of  Directors;  provided,  however,  that  prior  to the
Effective  Time,  the Board of Directors  shall always have at least two members
who are neither officers of Purchaser nor designees,  shareholders or affiliates
of Purchaser ("Purchaser Insiders"). At such time, the Company, if so requested,
will use its  reasonable  efforts to cause  persons  designated  by Purchaser to
constitute the same percentage of each committee of the Board of Directors, each
board of directors of each  subsidiary of the Company and each committee of each
such  board (in each case to the extent of the  Company's  ability to elect such
persons).  The  Company's  obligations  to  appoint  designees  to the  Board of
Directors  shall be subject to Section  14(f) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1
thereunder.  The Company shall  promptly take all actions  required  pursuant to
such Section and Rule in order to fulfill its obligations under this Section 4.2
and shall include in the Schedule  14D-9 such  information  as is required under
such Section and Schedule.

                  4.3.  Actions by  Directors.  For  purposes  of Article IX and
Sections 10.3 and 10.4,  no action taken by the Board of Directors  prior to the
Merger shall be effective unless such action is approved by the affirmative vote
of at least a majority of the  directors  of the  Company who are not  Purchaser
Insiders.


                                    ARTICLE V

              Conversion or Cancellation of Shares in the Merger

                  5.1.   Conversion or  Cancellation of  Shares.   The manner of
converting or  canceling shares  of the  Company and  Merger Sub  in the  Merger
shall be as follows:


<PAGE>



                   (a) At the Effective  Time, each Share issued and outstanding
immediately  prior to the Effective  Time (other than Shares owned by Purchaser,
Merger Sub or any other  subsidiary of Purchaser  (collectively,  the "Purchaser
Companies") or Shares which are held by stockholders ("Dissenting Stockholders")
exercising  appraisal  rights  pursuant  to Section 262 of the DGCL)  shall,  by
virtue of the Merger and without  any action on the part of the holder  thereof,
be  converted  into the right to receive,  without  interest,  an amount in cash
equal to $17.10 or such greater  amount which may be paid  pursuant to the Offer
(the  "Merger  Consideration").  All such  Shares,  by virtue of the  Merger and
without  any  action  on the part of the  holders  thereof,  shall no  longer be
outstanding and shall be canceled and retired and shall cease to exist, and each
holder of a certificate  representing  any such Shares shall thereafter cease to
have any rights  with  respect to such  Shares,  except the right to receive the
Merger  Consideration  for such Shares upon the surrender of such certificate in
accordance  with Section 5.2 or the right,  if any, to receive  payment from the
Surviving  Corporation  of the "fair  value" of such  Shares  as  determined  in
accordance with Section 262 of the DGCL.

                   (b) At the Effective  Time, each Share issued and outstanding
at the  Effective  Time and owned by any of the  Purchaser  Companies,  and each
Share issued and held at the Effective Time in the Company's treasury, shall, by
virtue of the Merger and without  any action on the part of the holder  thereof,
cease to be  outstanding,  shall be canceled and retired  without payment of any
consideration therefor and shall cease to exist.

                   (c) At the Effective  Time,  each share of Common Stock,  par
value $0.25 per share of Merger Sub issued and outstanding  immediately prior to
the Effective Time shall,  by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the
part of Merger Sub or the holders of such shares, be converted into one Share.

                  5.2.  Payment for Shares.  Purchaser  shall make  available or
cause to be made  available  to a bank or trust  company  appointed by Purchaser
with the Company's prior approval (the "Paying Agent") amounts sufficient in the
aggregate to provide all funds  necessary  for the Paying Agent to make payments
pursuant to Section  5.1(a) hereof to holders of Shares  issued and  outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time.  Promptly after the Effective Time, the
Surviving  Corporation  shall  cause to be mailed to each person who was, at the
Effective  Time, a holder of record (other than any of the Purchaser  Companies)
of issued and outstanding Shares a form (mutually agreed to by Purchaser and the
Company) of letter of  transmittal  and  instructions  for use in effecting  the
surrender of the certificates  which,  immediately  prior to the Effective Time,
represented any of such Shares in exchange for payment therefor.  Upon surrender
to the Paying Agent of such certificates,

<PAGE>


together  with such  letter of  transmittal,  duly  executed  and  completed  in
accordance  with the  instructions  thereto,  the  Surviving  Corporation  shall
promptly cause to be paid to the persons  entitled thereto a check in the amount
to which such  persons are  entitled,  after  giving  effect to any required tax
withholdings. No interest will be paid or will accrue on the amount payable upon
the  surrender  of any such  certificate.  If  payment is to be made to a person
other than the registered holder of the certificate  surrendered,  it shall be a
condition of such payment that the certificate so surrendered  shall be properly
endorsed or otherwise in proper form for transfer and that the person requesting
such  payment  shall pay any  transfer or other taxes  required by reason of the
payment  to a  person  other  than  the  registered  holder  of the  certificate
surrendered or establish to the satisfaction of the Surviving Corporation or the
Paying Agent that such tax has been paid or is not  applicable.  One hundred and
eighty days  following the Effective  Time, the Surviving  Corporation  shall be
entitled  to cause the Paying  Agent to deliver to it any funds  (including  any
interest received with respect thereto) made available to the Paying Agent which
have not been disbursed to holders of certificates  formerly representing Shares
outstanding on the Effective Time, and thereafter such holders shall be entitled
to look to the  Surviving  Corporation  only as general  creditors  thereof with
respect  to  the  cash  payable  upon  due  surrender  of  their   certificates.
Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  neither the Paying  Agent nor any party hereto
shall be liable to any holder of certificates  formerly  representing Shares for
any  amount  paid to a public  official  pursuant  to any  applicable  abandoned
property,  escheat or  similar  law.  The  Surviving  Corporation  shall pay all
charges and expenses,  including  those of the Paying Agent,  in connection with
the exchange of cash for Shares and  Purchaser  shall  reimburse  the  Surviving
Corporation for such charges and expenses.

                  5.3.  Dissenters' Rights. If any Dissenting  Stockholder shall
be entitled to or shall assert entitlement to be paid the "fair value" of his or
her  Shares,  as provided  in Section  262 of the DGCL,  the Company  shall give
Purchaser  notice  thereof and Purchaser  shall have the right to participate in
all negotiations  and proceedings with respect to any such demands.  Neither the
Company nor the  Surviving  Corporation  shall,  except  with the prior  written
consent of Purchaser, voluntarily make any payment with respect to, or settle or
offer to settle,  any such demand for  payment.  If any  Dissenting  Stockholder
shall fail to perfect or shall have  effectively  withdrawn or lost the right to
dissent,  the Shares held by such  Dissenting  Stockholder  shall  thereupon  be
treated as though such Shares had been converted  into the Merger  Consideration
pursuant to Section 5.1.

                  5.4.   Transfer  of  Shares  After  the  Effective  Time.   No
transfers of Shares shall be made  on the stock transfer books of  the Surviving
Corporation at or after the Effective Time.


<PAGE>




                                  ARTICLE VI

                        Representations and Warranties

                  6.1.  Representations  and  Warranties  of  the  Company.  The
Company hereby  represents and warrants to Purchaser and Merger Sub that, except
as set forth in the  correspondingly  numbered Section of the letter,  dated the
date hereof,  from the Company to  Purchaser  (the  "Disclosure  Letter") to the
extent  specifically  disclosed with respect to the representation to which such
exception applies:

                   (a) Corporate  Organization  and  Qualification.  Each of the
Company and its subsidiaries is a corporation  duly organized,  validly existing
and  in  good  standing  under  the  laws  of  its  respective  jurisdiction  of
incorporation or organization  and is in good standing as a foreign  corporation
in each jurisdiction where the properties and assets owned,  leased or operated,
or the business  conducted,  by it require such  qualification,  except for such
failure to so qualify or be in such good  standing,  which,  when taken together
with all other such failures,  would not be reasonably likely to have a material
adverse effect on the financial condition,  operations,  properties, business or
results of  operations of the Company and its  subsidiaries  taken as a whole (a
"Company  Material  Adverse  Effect").  Each of the Company and its  Significant
Subsidiaries  has the  requisite  corporate  power and authority to carry on its
respective  businesses  as they are now being  conducted.  The  Company has made
available to Purchaser a complete  and correct copy of the  Certificate  and the
Amended and Restated  Bylaws of the Company (the  "Bylaws"),  each as amended to
date and the  certificates  of  incorporation  and Bylaws or  similar  governing
instrument of each of the Company's  subsidiaries,  each as amended to date. The
Certificate  and the Bylaws and the  certificates  of  incorporation,  bylaws or
similar  governing  instruments  of each of the Company's  subsidiaries  so made
available are in full force and effect.

                   (b) Authorized  Capital.  The authorized capital stock of the
Company  consists  of  50,000,000   Shares,  of  which  20,765,592  Shares  were
outstanding  on February 5, 1997 and  5,000,000  shares of  Preferred  Stock par
value  $0.001  per  share  (the  "Preferred  Shares"),  of which no  shares  are
outstanding.  All of the  outstanding  Shares have been duly  authorized and are
validly  issued,  fully paid and  nonassessable.  The  Company  has no Shares or
Preferred  Shares reserved for issuance or subject to issuance,  except that, as
of February 5, 1997,  there were (i)  6,495,467  Shares  reserved  for  issuance
pursuant to the Company's Restated 1994 Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan and the
Company's 1996 Stock  Option/Stock  Issuance Plan (the "TheraTx Plans") of which
4,534,275  options to purchase Shares have been issued,  (ii) 145,225 options to
purchase Shares issued pursuant to the 1989

<PAGE>


Amended and Restated Stock Option Plan of Helian Health Group, Inc., PersonaCare
Inc.'s 1992 Stock Option Plan (the "Additional  Plans"),  (iii) 1,000,000 Shares
reserved for issuance  pursuant to the Company's  Employee  Stock  Purchase Plan
(together  with the TheraTx Plans and the Additional  Plans the "Stock  Plans"),
(iv)  4,166,667  Shares  subject  to  issuance  pursuant  to  the  Company's  8%
Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2002 (the "Notes"), (v) 78,925 Shares subject
to issuance pursuant to the warrants (the "Warrants")  issued to the persons set
forth on Section  6.1(b) of the  Disclosure  Letter and (vi)  500,000  shares of
Series A Preferred Stock reserved for issuance pursuant to the Rights Agreement,
dated  as of July  28,  1995,  between  the  Company  and  U.S.  Stock  Transfer
Corporation  (as amended,  the "Rights  Agreement").  Since February 5, 1997, no
Shares have been issued  except  pursuant to the  exercise of options  under the
Stock  Plans.  Each of the  outstanding  shares of capital  stock of each of the
Company's  subsidiaries  is duly  authorized,  validly  issued,  fully  paid and
nonassessable and owned, either directly or indirectly,  by the Company free and
clear of all liens, pledges,  security interests,  claims or other encumbrances.
Except as set forth above,  there are no shares of capital  stock of the Company
authorized,  issued or outstanding  and except as set forth above,  there are no
preemptive rights nor any outstanding subscriptions,  options, warrants, rights,
convertible  securities  or other  agreements  or  commitments  of any character
relating  to the  Shares or other  issued  or  unissued  capital  stock or other
securities of the Company or any of its  subsidiaries.  Immediately prior to the
consummation of the Offer, no Shares, Preferred Shares, Series A Preferred Stock
or any other  securities of the Company will be subject to issuance  pursuant to
the Rights  Agreement,  and after the Effective  Time the Surviving  Corporation
will have no obligation  to issue,  transfer or sell any Shares or other capital
stock  or  other  securities  of  the  Surviving  Corporation  pursuant  to  any
Compensation  and Benefit Plan (as defined in Section  6.1(h)(i)) or pursuant to
any  subscription,   option,  warrant,  right,  convertible  security  or  other
agreement  or  commitment.  Other  than the  Notes,  the  Company  does not have
outstanding  any bonds,  debentures,  notes or other  obligations the holders of
which  have the  right  to vote  (or are  convertible  into or  exercisable  for
securities having the right to vote) with the Stockholders of the Company on any
matter.

                   (c)  Corporate  Authority.  Subject  only to approval of this
Agreement by the holders of a majority of the  outstanding  Shares,  the Company
has the  requisite  corporate  power and  authority  and has taken all corporate
action  necessary  in  order  to  execute  and  deliver  this  Agreement  and to
consummate the transactions  contemplated  hereby. This Agreement is a valid and
binding agreement of the Company  enforceable  against the Company in accordance
with  its  terms,  subject  to  bankruptcy,   insolvency,  fraudulent  transfer,
reorganization,  moratorium  and similar laws  affecting  creditors'  rights and
remedies  generally and to general  principles of equity. The Board of Directors
(A) has unanimously

<PAGE>


approved  this  Agreement,  the Offer and the Merger and the other  transactions
contemplated  hereby and (B) has received the opinion of its financial  advisor,
The Beacon Group, to the effect that the consideration to be received by holders
of Shares pursuant to the Offer and the Merger is fair from a financial point of
view to such holders.

                   (d) Governmental Filings; No Violations; Contracts. (i) Other
than  the  filings   provided  for  in  Section  2.3,  as  required   under  the
Hart-Scott-Rodino  Antitrust  Improvements  Act of 1976,  as  amended  (the "HSR
Act"), and required under any healthcare  licensure and certificate of need laws
and regulations,  change of ownership  filings pursuant to Medicare and Medicaid
laws, rules or regulations and the Exchange Act (the "Regulatory  Filings"),  no
notices,  reports or other  filings are required to be made by the Company with,
nor  are any  consents,  registrations,  approvals,  permits  or  authorizations
required to be obtained by the Company  from,  any  governmental  or  regulatory
authority,  agency, commission or other governmental entity, domestic or foreign
("Governmental  Entity"),  in connection with the execution and delivery of this
Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions
contemplated  hereby, the failure to make or obtain any or all of which would be
reasonably likely to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, or could prevent or
materially  delay the  ability of the  Company to  consummate  the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.

                   (ii) The  execution  and  delivery of this  Agreement  by the
Company  does not,  and the  consummation  by the  Company  of the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement will not, constitute or result in (i) a breach or
violation  of,  or a  default  under,  the  Certificate  or  the  Bylaws  or the
comparable governing instruments of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii)
except as disclosed  in the Company  Reports  filed prior to the date hereof,  a
breach or  violation  of, a default  under or the  triggering  of any payment or
other material  obligations  pursuant to, any of the Company's  existing Benefit
Plans or any grant or award made under any of the  foregoing,  (iii) a breach or
violation of, or a default under,  the  acceleration  of any  obligations or the
creation of a lien,  pledge,  security  interest or other  encumbrance on assets
(with or  without  the giving of notice or the lapse of time)  pursuant  to, any
provision  of  any  agreement,  lease,  contract,  note,  mortgage,   indenture,
arrangement  or other  obligation  ("Contracts")  of the  Company  or any of its
subsidiaries  or any law,  rule,  ordinance or regulation  or judgment,  decree,
order, award or governmental or non-governmental  permit or license to which the
Company or any of its  subsidiaries  is subject or (iv) any change in the rights
or obligations of any party under any of the Contracts,  except,  in the case of
clause (iii) or (iv) above for  Contracts  other than those for the provision of
rehabilitation services or management, for such breaches, violations,  defaults,
accelerations  or  changes  that,  alone  or in  the  aggregate,  would  not  be
reasonably likely

<PAGE>


to  have a  Company  Material  Adverse  Effect  or that  would  not  prevent  or
materially  delay the  ability of the  Company to  consummate  the  transactions
contemplated  by this  Agreement  and,  except in the case of Contracts  for the
provision  of  rehabilitation   services  or  management,   for  such  breaches,
violations,  defaults, accelerations or changes that, alone or in the aggregate,
are immaterial to the financial condition,  properties,  operations, business or
results of  operations of the Company and its  subsidiaries  taken as a whole or
that  would not  prevent  or  materially  delay the  ability  of the  Company to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

                   (iii) (x) No party to any rehabilitation  therapy services or
management Contract with the Company or any if its subsidiaries has indicated in
writing to the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  or, to the knowledge of Bret
Jorgensen,  Lisa Adams or Greg  Bellomy,  otherwise  indicated  any intention to
terminate,  fail to renew or seek to amend in any manner adverse to the Company,
any such Contract and (y) neither the Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  is a
party to or bound by any  Contract  prohibiting  or  limiting  its or any of its
affiliate's  ability to engage in any line of business,  compete with any person
or carry on or expand the nature or geographic scope of its business, except for
such prohibitions,  or limitations on the Company or its subsidiaries that would
not be reasonably  likely to have,  individually or in the aggregate,  a Company
Material Adverse Effect.

                   (e) Company Reports;  Financial  Statements.  The Company has
made available to Purchaser each registration statement, schedule, report, proxy
statement or information  statement  prepared by it since December 31, 1995 (the
"Audit Date"), including, without limitation, (i) the Company's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1995 and (ii) the Company's  Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q for the  periods  ended March 31,  1996,  June 30, 1996 and
September  30,  1996 each in the form  (including  exhibits  and any  amendments
thereto)  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange   Commission  (the  "SEC")
(collectively, including any subsequently filed reports, the "Company Reports").
As of their  respective  dates,  the Company  Reports  did not,  and any Company
Reports filed with the SEC  subsequent to the date hereof will not,  contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein,  in light of
the  circumstances  under  which they were  made,  not  misleading.  Each of the
consolidated  balance sheets  included in or  incorporated by reference into the
Company Reports  (including the related notes and schedules and the consolidated
balance  sheets and  schedules  of  PersonaCare,  Inc.  ("PersonaCare"))  fairly
presents the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries
including,  without  limitation,  PersonaCare  as of its  date  and  each of the
consolidated statements of income and of changes in financial

<PAGE>


position  included in or  incorporated  by  reference  into the Company  Reports
(including  any related notes and  schedules  and  including  the  statements of
income and changes in financial  position of  PersonaCare  and any related notes
and schedules) fairly presents the results of operations,  retained earnings and
changes  in  financial  position,  as the case may be,  of the  Company  and its
subsidiaries  including,  without  limitation,  PersonaCare  for the periods set
forth therein (subject, in the case of unaudited statements,  to normal year-end
audit adjustments which will not be material in amount or effect),  in each case
in  accordance   with  generally   accepted   accounting   principles   ("GAAP")
consistently  applied  during  the  periods  involved,  except  as may be  noted
therein.  Other than the  Company  Reports,  the Company has not filed any other
definitive reports or statements with the SEC since December 31, 1995.

                   (f) Absence of Certain  Changes.  Except as  disclosed in the
Company Reports filed with the SEC prior to the date hereof, since September 30,
1996 in the case of clauses (i),  (ii) and (iii) below and December 31, 1995, in
the case of clause (iv) below, the Company and its  subsidiaries  have conducted
their  respective  businesses  only in,  and have not  engaged  in any  material
transaction  other than  according  to, the  ordinary  and usual  course of such
businesses and there has not been (i) any change that would be reasonably likely
to have,  individually or in the aggregate,  a Company  Material  Adverse Effect
other than any such change arising out of or relating to the proposal,  adoption
or implementation after the date hereof of any law, statute,  rule or regulation
relating to healthcare,  Medicaid or Medicare,  including without limitation the
proposal,  adoption or implementation of "salary  equivalency"  rates (including
amendments to any salary  equivalency rates currently in effect) relating to the
delivery of  physical  therapy,  occupational  therapy,  respiratory  therapy or
speech  language  pathology  services;  (ii) any material  damage or loss to any
material  asset or property,  regardless  of insurance;  (iii) any  declaration,
setting aside or payment of any dividend or other  distribution  with respect to
the  capital  stock  of the  Company;  or (iv)  any  change  by the  Company  in
accounting principles,  practices or methods. Since December 31, 1995, except as
disclosed in the Company Reports filed with the SEC prior to the date hereof and
other  than in the  ordinary  course,  there  has not been any  increase  in the
compensation  payable  or which  could  become  payable  by the  Company  or its
subsidiaries to their officers or key employees, or any amendment of any Benefit
Plans.

                   (g)  Litigation and  Liabilities.  Except as disclosed in the
Company  Reports  filed with the SEC prior to the date hereof,  there are no (i)
civil,   criminal  or   administrative   actions,   suits,   claims,   hearings,
investigations  or  proceedings  pending or, to the  knowledge  of the  Company,
threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (ii) obligations or
liabilities, whether or not accrued, contingent or otherwise and

<PAGE>


whether or not required to be disclosed,  including,  without limitation,  those
relating to matters involving any Environmental Law (as hereinafter defined), or
any other  facts or  circumstances  of which the  management  of the Company has
knowledge  that could result in any claims against or obligations or liabilities
of the  Company or any of its  subsidiaries,  that,  alone or in the  aggregate,
would be reasonably likely to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

                   (h)  Employee Benefits.

                   (i) Section  6.1(h)(i) of the  Disclosure  Letter  contains a
complete  and  accurate  list  of  all  existing  bonus,   incentive,   deferred
compensation,  pension,  retirement,  profit-sharing,  thrift, savings, employee
stock ownership,  stock bonus,  stock purchase,  restricted stock, stock option,
severance,  welfare and fringe benefit plans, employment or severance agreements
and all similar  practices,  policies and  arrangements in which any employee or
former  employee  (the  "Employees"),   consultant  or  former  consultant  (the
"Consultants")  or director or former director (the  "Directors") of the Company
or any  of  its  subsidiaries  participates  or to  which  any  such  Employees,
Consultants  or Directors are a party (the  "Compensation  and Benefit  Plans").
Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any commitment to create any
additional  material  Compensation  and Benefit  Plan or to modify or change any
existing Compensation and Benefit Plan in any material respect.

                   (ii)  To  the   best  of  the   Company's   knowledge,   each
Compensation and Benefit Plan has been operated and administered in all material
respects in accordance with its terms and with applicable  law,  including,  but
not limited to, the Employee  Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended
("ERISA"),  the Code (as defined in Section 6.1(o)), the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the  "Securities  Act") and the Exchange Act, or any  regulations or
rules promulgated thereunder, and all filings,  disclosures and notices required
by ERISA, the Code, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any other applicable
law have been  timely  made.  Each  Compensation  and  Benefit  Plan which is an
"employee  pension  benefit plan" within the meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA (a
"Pension  Plan") and which is intended to be qualified  under Section  401(a) of
the  Code  has   received  a  favorable   determination   letter   (including  a
determination that the related trust under such Compensation and Benefit Plan is
exempt  from tax under  Section  501(a) of the Code) from the  Internal  Revenue
Service  ("IRS") for "TRA" (as defined in Rev.  Proc.  93-39),  or will file for
such  determination  letter prior to the  expiration  of the remedial  amendment
period for such  Compensation  and Benefit Plan, and the Company is not aware of
any  circumstances  likely  to  result  in  revocation  of  any  such  favorable
determination  letter.  There is no material pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company, threatened legal action, suit or claim relating to the Compensation and
Benefit Plans. Neither

<PAGE>


the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has engaged in a transaction, or omitted
to take any action, with respect to any Compensation and Benefit Plan that would
reasonably  be expected to subject the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  to a
tax or  penalty  imposed  by either  Section  511 or 4975 of the Code or Section
502(c),  502(i),  502(l) or 4071 of ERISA in an amount which would be reasonably
likely to have a Company  Material  Adverse  Effect,  assuming  for  purposes of
Section 4975 of the Code that the taxable period of any such transaction expired
as of the date hereof.

                   (iii)   Neither   the  Company  nor  any  entity  (an  "ERISA
Affiliate")  which is  considered  one employer  with the Company  under Section
4001(b) of ERISA or Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code has sponsored,  maintained
or incurred any  liability  under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any ongoing,
frozen or  terminated  "single-employer  plan",  within  the  meaning of Section
4001(a)(15) of ERISA or any Compensation and Benefit Plan subject to Section 412
of  the  Code  or  Section  302  of  ERISA.  None  of  the  Company,  any of its
subsidiaries  or any ERISA Affiliate has  contributed,  or has been obligated to
contribute,  to a multiemployer plan under Subtitle E of ERISA at any time since
September  26,  1980.  To the  knowledge  of the  Company,  there is no  pending
investigation  or  enforcement  action by the Department of Labor (the "DOL") or
IRS or any other  governmental  agency  with  respect  to any  Compensation  and
Benefit Plan.

                   (iv) All contributions required to be made under the terms of
any Compensation and Benefit Plan or ERISA or any employee benefit  arrangements
under any  collective  bargaining  agreement  to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries  is a party have been  timely  made or have been  reflected  on the
Company's financial statements.

                   (v) Neither the Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  has any
obligations to provide  retiree health and life insurance or other retiree death
benefits under any Compensation  and Benefit Plan, other than benefits  mandated
by Section 4980B of the Code, and each such Compensation and Benefit Plan may be
amended or terminated without incurring liability thereunder.  There has been no
communication to Employees by the Company or any of its subsidiaries  that would
reasonably be expected to promise or guarantee such Employees  retiree health or
life insurance or other retiree death benefits on a permanent basis.

                   (vi) The Company and its  subsidiaries  do not  maintain  any
Compensation and Benefit Plans covering Employees outside of the United States.

                   (vii) With respect to each  Compensation and Benefit Plan, if
applicable,  the Company has provided,  made  available,  or will make available
upon  request,  to  Purchaser,   true  and  complete  copies  of  existing:  (A)
Compensation and Benefit Plan documents

<PAGE>


and amendments thereto; (B) trust instruments and insurance  contracts;  (C) two
most  recent  Forms 5500 filed with the IRS;  (D) the most recent  summary  plan
description;  (E) most recent  determination  letter  issued by the IRS; (F) any
Form 5310 or Form 5330 filed with the IRS; and (G) most recent nondiscrimination
tests performed under ERISA and the Code (including 401(k) and 401(m) tests).

                   (viii) The consummation of the  transactions  contemplated by
this Agreement would not, directly or indirectly (including, without limitation,
as a result of any termination of employment prior to or following the Effective
Time) reasonably be expected to (A) entitle any Employee, Consultant or Director
to any payment (including severance pay or similar compensation) or any increase
in compensation, (B) result in the vesting or acceleration of any benefits under
any  Compensation  and Benefit  Plan or (C) result in any  material  increase in
benefits payable under any Compensation and Benefit Plan.

                   (ix)  Neither  the  Company  nor  any  of  its   subsidiaries
maintains any  compensation  plans,  programs or arrangements the payments under
which  would not  reasonably  be expected  to be  deductible  as a result of the
limitations  under  Section  162(m)  of the  Code  and  the  regulations  issued
thereunder.

                   (x) As a result, directly or indirectly,  of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement  (including,  without limitation,  as a result of
any termination of employment prior to or following the Effective Time), none of
the Purchaser,  Merger Sub, the Company or the Surviving Corporation,  or any of
their respective  subsidiaries will be obligated to make a payment that would be
characterized  as an  "excess  parachute  payment"  to an  individual  who  is a
"disqualified  individual"  (as such terms are  defined  in Section  280G of the
Code),  without  regard to whether such payment is reasonable  compensation  for
personal services performed or to be performed in the future.

                   (i) Brokers and  Finders.  Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has employed any broker or finder or incurred any liability for any
brokerage fees,  commissions or finders fees in connection with the transactions
contemplated  herein,  except that the Company has  employed The Beacon Group as
its  financial  advisor,  the  arrangements  with which have been  disclosed  in
writing to Purchaser prior to the date hereof.

                   (j)  Rights Agreement.

                   (i) The Company has amended the Rights  Agreement  to provide
that none of  Purchaser,  Merger Sub or any of their  respective  affiliates  or
associates  will be deemed to be an  Acquiring  Person (as defined in the Rights
Agreement) and that the Distribution  Date (as defined in the Rights  Agreement)
shall not be deemed to occur, and the Rights will not separate from the

<PAGE>


Shares,  as a  result  of  the  commencement  of the  Offer  or as a  result  of
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

         (ii) The Company  has taken all  necessary  action with  respect to the
Rights  Agreement  to  ensure  that the  Rights  Agreement  will  expire  at the
Effective Time pursuant to Section 7(a)(iv) of the Rights Agreement.

                   (k) Takeover  Statutes.  The Board of Directors has taken all
necessary action to approve the transactions contemplated by this Agreement such
that the restrictions on transactions  with "interested  stockholders" set forth
in Section 203 of the DGCL shall not apply to such transactions.  No other state
or federal "fair price",  "moratorium",  "control  share  acquisition"  or other
similar  antitakeover  statute or  regulation  (each a  "Takeover  Statute")  is
applicable to the Company, the Shares, the Offer, the Merger or the transactions
contemplated thereby or hereby.

                   (l) Environmental  Matters. As of the date hereof,  except as
disclosed in the Company Reports filed with the SEC prior to the date hereof, to
the knowledge of the Company, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries have complied
with all  applicable  Environmental  Laws;  (ii)  the  properties  presently  or
formerly  owned or  operated  by the  Company  or its  subsidiaries  (including,
without limitation,  soil, groundwater or surface water on, under or adjacent to
the properties,  and buildings  thereon) (the  "Properties")  do not contain any
Hazardous  Substance  (as  hereinafter  defined)  other than as permitted  under
applicable  Environmental  Laws, do not, and have not, contained any underground
storage tanks,  do not have any asbestos  present (and have not had any asbestos
removed  therefrom)  and have not been used as a sanitary  landfill or hazardous
waste disposal site (provided, however, that with respect to Properties formerly
owned or operated by the Company,  such  representation is limited to the period
during  which  period the Company or one of its  subsidiaries  owned or operated
such  Properties);  (iii)  neither the Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  has
received  any  notices,  demand  letters or  request  for  information  from any
Governmental  Entity or any third  party  alleging  that the  Company  may be in
violation of, or liable under,  any  Environmental  Law and none of the Company,
its   subsidiaries   or  the   Properties   are  subject  to  any  court  order,
administrative  order or decree arising under any  Environmental Law and (iv) no
Hazardous  Substance has been disposed of,  released or transported  from any of
the  Properties  during  the time such  Property  was owned or  operated  by the
Company or one of its  subsidiaries,  other than as permitted  under  applicable
Environmental Law. Following the date hereof,  except as would not reasonably be
expected  to have a Company  Material  Adverse  Effect,  the  representation  in
Section  6.1(l) is true and correct  without  regard to any limitation as to the
date hereof or the knowledge of the Company.



<PAGE>


"Environmental Law" means (i) any Federal, state, foreign or local law, statute,
ordinance,  rule, regulation,  code, license, permit,  authorization,  approval,
consent,  common  law,  order,  judgment,  decree,  injunction,  requirement  or
agreement  with  any  governmental  entity,  (x)  relating  to  the  protection,
preservation or restoration of the environment,  (including, without limitation,
air, water vapor,  surface water,  groundwater,  drinking water supply,  surface
land, subsurface land, plant and animal life or any other natural resource),  or
to human  health  or  safety,  or (y) the  exposure  to,  or the  use,  storage,
recycling,  treatment,   generation,   transportation,   processing,   handling,
labeling,  production, release or disposal of Hazardous Substances, in each case
as  amended  and as now in effect.  "Hazardous  Substance"  means any  substance
presently  listed,  defined,  designated or  classified  as hazardous,  toxic or
radioactive  (including  petroleum  and  regulated  medical  waste),  under  any
Environmental  Law,  whether by type or by  quantity,  including  any  substance
containing any such substance as a component.

                   (m)  Real  Property  and  Leases.  (i)  The  Company  and its
subsidiaries  have  sufficient  title  or  leasehold  interests  to all of their
properties to conduct their respective  businesses as currently  conducted or as
contemplated  to be conducted,  except where the failure to have such sufficient
title or  leasehold  interest  would not be  reasonably  likely to have,  either
individually or in the aggregate,  a Company  Material  Adverse Effect.  Section
6.1(m) of the  Disclosure  Letter  sets forth a true and  complete  list of each
lease,  sublease or other agreement  relating to the possession of real property
to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party.

                   (ii)  All  leases  of  real  property  leased  for the use or
benefit of the  Company or any of its  subsidiaries  to which the Company or any
such subsidiary is a party and all amendments and  modifications  thereto are in
full force and effect  except for defaults  which would,  in the  aggregate,  be
immaterial  to the  financial  condition,  operations,  properties,  business or
results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

                   (n) Medicare and  Medicaid.  Except as disclosed in any state
health  department  surveys  for 1995 or 1996,  copies  of which  have been made
available to Purchaser,  the Company and its subsidiaries have complied with all
Medicare and Medicaid laws,  rules and  regulations  and have filed all returns,
cost reports and other filings in any manner prescribed thereby except where the
failure to so comply, together with all other such failures, would be immaterial
to the  financial  condition,  operations,  properties,  business  or results of
operations of the Company and its  subsidiaries  taken as a whole.  All returns,
cost reports and other  filings made by the Company and its  subsidiaries  since
January 1, 1992 to Medicare, Medicaid or any other governmental

<PAGE>


health or welfare  related  entity or third  party  payor are true and  complete
except  where the failure to be so true and  complete,  together  with all other
such  failures,  would be  immaterial to the  financial  condition,  operations,
properties,   business  or  results  of   operations  of  the  Company  and  its
subsidiaries  taken as a whole. Since January 1, 1992, no deficiency in any such
returns,  cost  reports  and  other  filings,  including  deficiencies  for late
filings,  has been  asserted or to the best of the  Company's  knowledge,  after
reasonable  investigation,   threatened  by  any  Federal  or  state  agency  or
instrumentality or other provider reimbursement entities relating to Medicare or
Medicaid or third party payor claims and to the best of the Company's knowledge,
after reasonable  investigation,  there is no basis for any successful claims or
requests  for  reimbursement  from any such agency,  instrumentality,  entity or
third  party payor  except for any  deficiencies,  together  with all other such
deficiencies,  which would be immaterial to the financial condition, operations,
properties,   business  or  results  of   operations  of  the  Company  and  its
subsidiaries  taken as a whole.  Since January 1, 1992,  neither the Company nor
any of its subsidiaries has been subject to any audit or investigation  relating
to  fraudulent  Medicare or Medicaid  procedure  or practices  except  audits or
investigations  which,  together with all other such audits, would be immaterial
to the  financial  condition,  operations,  properties,  business  or results of
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

                   (o) Taxes.  (i) All Tax Returns that are required to be filed
by or with  respect to the  Company and its  subsidiaries  have been duly filed,
(ii) all Taxes shown to be due on the Tax Returns referred to in clause (i) have
been paid in full,  (iii) none of the Tax Returns referred to in clause (i) have
been examined by the Internal Revenue Service or the appropriate state, local or
foreign taxing authority,  and the period for assessment of the Taxes in respect
of which  such Tax  Returns  were  required  to be filed  has  expired,  (iv) no
deficiencies  have been asserted or have been  assessed by any Taxing  Authority
and (v) no waivers of statutes  of  limitation  have been given by or  requested
with  respect to any Taxes of the Company or its  subsidiaries.  The Company has
made available to Purchaser true and correct copies of the United States federal
income Tax Returns  filed by the Company  and its  subsidiaries  for each of the
three most recent fiscal years ended on or before December 31, 1995. Neither the
Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  has any liability  with respect to income,
franchise or similar  Taxes that accrued on or before the end of the most recent
period  covered by the  Company  Reports in excess of the amounts  accrued  with
respect thereto that are reflected in the financial  statements  included in the
Company  Reports filed on or prior to the date hereof,  except where the failure
to be so  accrued  would not be  reasonably  likely  to have a Company  Material
Adverse Effect.



<PAGE>


                   (ii) No Tax is required  to be  withheld  pursuant to Section
1445 of the Code as a result of the transfer contemplated by this Agreement.

As used in  this  Agreement,  the  following  terms  shall  have  the  indicated
meanings:

         "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

         "Tax  Returns"  means  any  return,  amended  return  or  other  report
(including  elections,  declarations,   disclosures,  schedules,  estimates  and
information returns) required to be filed with respect to any Tax.

         "Taxes" means all federal,  state,  local or foreign taxes,  including,
without limitation,  income,  gross receipts,  windfall profits,  gains, excise,
severance,  property,  production,  sales, use,  transfer,  license,  franchise,
employment,  withholding,  environmental,  customs duty,  capital stock,  stamp,
payroll, unemployment,  disability, production, value added, occupancy and other
taxes,  duties  or  assessments  of any  nature  whatsoever,  together  with all
interest,  penalties and additional imposed with respect to such amounts and any
interest in respect of such penalties and additions.


                   (p) Labor Matters;  Non-Competition.  (i) Neither the Company
nor any of its  subsidiaries  is a party to or otherwise bound by any collective
bargaining agreement,  contract or other agreement or understanding with a labor
union or labor  organization,  nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries the
subject of any  material  proceeding  asserting  that the  Company or any of its
subsidiaries  has committed an unfair labor  practice or is seeking to compel it
to bargain with any labor union or labor  organization  nor is there pending or,
to the  knowledge  of the Company,  threatened,  nor has there been for the past
five years,  any labor strike,  dispute,  walkout,  work stoppage,  slow-down or
lockout involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

                   (ii) The Company has entered into Non-Competition Agreements,
dated the date hereof (the "Non-Competes"), with each of John A. Bardis, Bret W.
Jorgensen,  Donald R. Myll, Louis E. Hallman, III, Laura E. Cayce and William J.
Haffey,  Ph.D. in the form set forth on Section 6.1(p) of the Disclosure Letter.
Each of the  Non-Competes  is a  valid  and  binding  agreement  of the  Company
enforceable  against  the  Company  in  accordance  with its  terms,  subject to
bankruptcy,  insolvency,  fraudulent  transfer,  reorganization,  moratorium and
similar laws affecting  creditors' rights and remedies  generally and to general
principles of equity.

                   (q)  Intellectual Property.  (i)  The Company and/or each  of
its subsidiaries owns, or is licensed or otherwise

<PAGE>


possesses  legally  enforceable  rights to use all  patents,  trademarks,  trade
names, service marks,  copyrights,  and any applications  therefor,  technology,
know-how, computer software programs or applications, and tangible or intangible
proprietary  information  or  materials  that  are used in the  business  of the
Company  and its  subsidiaries  as  currently  conducted,  except  for any  such
failures to own, be licensed or possess that would not be  reasonably  likely to
have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect
and to the  knowledge  of the  Company all  patents,  trademarks,  trade  names,
service marks and  copyrights  held by the Company and/or its  subsidiaries  are
valid and subsisting.

          (ii) The  Company  or one of its  wholly-owned  subsidiaries  owns the
entire right, title and interest in and to all intellectual  property subsisting
in the computer programs, software, applications (including all copies, versions
and  derivative  works) and related  hardware  used by the Company in connection
with  the  Company's  clinical  and  management   information  system  known  as
"TheraSys"  (the  "TheraSys  Program"),   including  all  patents,   trademarks,
tradenames,  service  marks,  trade secrets and copyrights  (including,  without
limitation,  the  exclusive  right to use and  convey the same) and there are no
liens,  security  interests,  licenses  or other  encumbrances  on the  TheraSys
Program or any intellectual  property  subsisting  therein.  The Company has the
right to use the TheraSys  Program and convey and disclose the TheraSys  Program
without  violation  of any law or third party  right.  Copyright in the TheraSys
Program has been duly  registered  with the  Copyright  Office of the Library of
Congress (Reg. No. Txu 638-676) and such registration  remains in full force and
effect.  No  affiliates,  employees or independent  contractors  will, as of and
after the  Closing,  retain or obtain  ownership  of, or any  rights  over,  any
patents, trade names, trademarks,  trade secrets,  services marks, or copyrights
relating to the TheraSys  Program,  all of which are owned solely by the Company
or one of its wholly-owned  subsidiaries.  To the Company's knowledge, (i) there
have been and are no claims by any person contesting the Company's  ownership of
the intellectual property subsisting in the TheraSys Program, and the use of the
TheraSys  Program by the Company  does not  infringe on the rights of any person
and no suits or proceedings are pending or threatened against the Company or any
of its respective subsidiaries with respect to the foregoing;  and (ii) no third
party is infringing the Company's  intellectual  property rights in the TheraSys
Program.

                   (r)     Visitation Rights.  Other than the current  directors
of the Company, no person is  contractually or otherwise entitled to attend  any
regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors.

                  6.2.  Representations and  Warranties of Purchaser and  Merger
Sub.  Purchaser and Merger Sub represent and warrant to

<PAGE>


the Company that except as set forth in the correspondingly  numbered Section of
the letter, dated the date hereof, from Purchaser to the Company (the "Purchaser
Disclosure Letter"):

                   (a)  Corporate   Organization  and  Qualification.   Each  of
Purchaser and Merger Sub is a corporation  duly organized,  validly existing and
in good standing under the laws of its respective  jurisdiction of incorporation
and is in good standing as a foreign  corporation in each jurisdiction where the
properties owned, leased or operated,  or the business conducted,  by it require
such  qualification  except for such failure to so qualify or to be in such good
standing,  which, when taken together with all other such failures, would not be
reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the financial  condition,
operations,  properties,  business or results of operations of Purchaser and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

                   (b)  Corporate  Authority.  Purchaser and Merger Sub each has
the requisite  corporate power and authority and has taken all corporate  action
necessary in order to execute and deliver this  Agreement and to consummate  the
transactions  contemplated  hereby.  This  Agreement  is  a  valid  and  binding
agreement of Purchaser and Merger Sub enforceable  against  Purchaser and Merger
Sub in accordance with its terms subject to bankruptcy,  insolvency,  fraudulent
transfer,  reorganization,  moratorium  and similar  laws  affecting  creditors'
rights and remedies generally and to general principles of equity.

                   (c) Governmental  Filings; No Violations.  (i) Other than the
Regulatory Filings, no notices, reports or other filings are required to be made
by Purchaser or Merger Sub with, nor are any consents, registrations, approvals,
permits or  authorizations  required to be obtained by  Purchaser  or Merger Sub
from, any  Governmental  Entity in connection with the execution and delivery of
this  Agreement  by  Purchaser  and  Merger  Sub  and  the  consummation  of the
transactions  contemplated  hereby by  Purchaser  and Merger Sub, the failure to
make or obtain  any or all of which  would be  reasonably  likely to  prevent or
materially  delay the  ability  of  Purchaser  or Merger Sub to  consummate  the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

                   (ii)  The  execution  and  delivery  of  this   Agreement  by
Purchaser  and  Merger  Sub do not,  and the  consummation  of the  transactions
contemplated  hereby by Purchaser and Merger Sub will not,  constitute or result
in (i) a breach  or  violation  of,  or a  default  under,  the  certificate  of
incorporation  or  by-laws  of  Purchaser  or  Merger  Sub or (ii) a  breach  or
violation of, a default under,  the  acceleration  of or the creation of a lien,
pledge,  security  interest or other  encumbrance on assets (with or without the
giving of  notice  or the  lapse of time)  pursuant  to,  any  provision  of any
Contract of Purchaser or Merger Sub or any law, ordinance, rule or regulation or
judgment,  decree,  order, award or governmental or  non-governmental  permit or
license to

<PAGE>


which  Purchaser  or Merger Sub is subject,  except,  in the case of clause (ii)
above, for such breaches,  violations,  defaults or accelerations that, alone or
in the  aggregate,  would not  prevent  or  materially  delay  the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.


                                   ARTICLE VII

                                    Covenants

                  7.1. Interim Operations of the Company.  The Company covenants
and agrees that,  prior to the Effective Time (unless  Purchaser shall otherwise
agree  in  writing  and  except  as  otherwise  expressly  contemplated  by this
Agreement or in the Disclosure Letter):

          (a)  the  business  of the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries  shall  be
         conducted  only in the  ordinary  and usual  course  and, to the extent
         consistent  therewith,  each of the Company and its subsidiaries  shall
         use its reasonable  best efforts to preserve its business  organization
         intact and maintain its existing  relations with customers,  suppliers,
         employees and business associates;

          (b) the  Company  shall  not (i)  sell or  pledge  or agree to sell or
         pledge any stock owned by it in any of its subsidiaries; (ii) amend the
         Certificate or the Bylaws or, except as otherwise  contemplated  herein
         (including  Section  7.2),  amend,   modify  or  terminate  the  Rights
         Agreement;  (iii) split,  combine or reclassify the outstanding Shares;
         or (iv) declare,  set aside or pay any dividend  payable in cash, stock
         or property with respect to the Shares or Preferred Shares;

          (c) except as set forth in Section  7.1(c) of the  Disclosure  Letter,
         neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries  shall (i) issue, sell,
         pledge,  dispose of or encumber any additional shares of, or securities
         convertible  or  exchangeable   for,  or  options,   warrants,   calls,
         commitments or rights of any kind to acquire, any shares of its capital
         stock of any  class of the  Company  or its  subsidiaries  or any other
         property  or assets  other  than,  in the case of the  Company,  Shares
         issuable  pursuant to options  outstanding on the date hereof under the
         Stock Plans or upon conversion of the Notes or Warrants; (ii) transfer,
         lease,  license,  guarantee,  sell,  mortgage,  pledge,  dispose  of or
         encumber  any  assets  or incur or  modify  any  indebtedness  or other
         liability  other than in the  ordinary  and usual  course of  business;
         (iii)  license or  otherwise  transfer to any third party any rights to
         the TheraSys  Program or related  software;  (iv)  acquire  directly or
         indirectly  by  redemption or otherwise any shares of the capital stock
         of the Company; or (v) authorize capital expenditures in excess of

<PAGE>


$1,000,000 in the aggregate not disclosed in the  Disclosure  Letter or make any
         acquisition  of, or investment  in, assets or stock of any other person
         or entity other than ordinary  course  acquisitions of supplies used in
         the day-to-day operations of the Company;

          (d) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries  shall increase in
         any manner the  compensation of, grant any severance or termination pay
         to,  or  enter  into or  amend or renew  any  employment  or  severance
         agreement with, any Director,  Consultant or employee,  provided, that,
         the Company and its subsidiaries may in the ordinary course of business
         consistent with past practice  (including,  without  limitation,  as to
         timing),  grant increases in the compensation of non-officer  employees
         and  increases  of not more  than 10% or  $15,000  in  compensation  of
         officers of the Company who are not executive officers of the Company;

          (e) neither the Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  shall establish,
         adopt,  enter  into,  make  any  Compensation  and  Benefit  Plans,  or
         voluntarily  accelerate  the vesting of any stock  options,  restricted
         stock or other compensation or benefit;

          (f) neither the Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  shall  settle or
         compromise any claims or litigation  involving  payments by the Company
         of  $100,000  in any  single  instance  or related  instances,  or that
         otherwise  are material or,  except in the ordinary and usual course of
         business,  modify,  amend or terminate any of its material Contracts or
         waive, release or assign any material rights or claims;

          (g) neither the Company nor any subsidiary shall make any Tax election
         or permit any insurance  policy  naming it as a  beneficiary  or a loss
         payable payee to be canceled or terminated without notice to Purchaser,
         except in the ordinary and usual course of business;

          (h)  neither  the Company nor  any of its  subsidiaries will authorize
or enter into an agreement to do any of the foregoing; and

          (i)  neither the  Company nor any of  its subsidiaries will amend  any
of the Non-Competes.

                  7.2. Acquisition Proposals. The Company agrees that neither it
nor any of its  subsidiaries  nor any of its  executive  officers  or  directors
shall,  and  that it  shall  direct  and use  its  best  efforts  to  cause  its
non-executive   officers   and   its   subsidiaries'   employees,   agents   and
representatives   (including  any  investment  banker,  attorney  or  accountant
retained by it or any of its subsidiaries)  not to, directly or indirectly,  (a)
initiate, solicit, knowingly encourage or otherwise

<PAGE>


facilitate  any inquiries or the making of any proposal or offer with respect to
a merger, reorganization,  share exchange,  consolidation or similar transaction
involving, or any purchase of all or any significant portion of the assets or 5%
or more of the equity securities of, the Company or any of its subsidiaries (any
such  transaction or purchase being  hereinafter  referred to as an "Acquisition
Transaction")  that, in any such case, could reasonably be expected to lead to a
breach of this Agreement or otherwise interfere with the completion of the Offer
or Merger  contemplated  by this  Agreement  (any such  proposal  or offer being
hereinafter referred to as an "Acquisition Proposal") or (b) have any discussion
with or provide any  confidential  information or data to any person relating to
an Acquisition Proposal or engage in any negotiations  concerning an Acquisition
Proposal,  or otherwise facilitate any effort or attempt to make or implement an
Acquisition  Proposal;   provided,  however,  that  nothing  contained  in  this
Agreement shall prevent the Company or the Board of Directors from (A) complying
with Rule 14e-2 promulgated under the Exchange Act with regard to an Acquisition
Proposal;  (B) engaging in any discussions or negotiations with or providing any
information  to, any person in  response  to an  unsolicited  bona fide  written
Acquisition  Proposal  by any  such  person  (including  a new  and  unsolicited
Acquisition  Proposal  received by the Company after execution of this Agreement
from a person or entity  whose  initial  contact  with the Company may have been
solicited  by the Company  prior to the  execution  of this  Agreement);  or (C)
recommending such an unsolicited bona fide written  Acquisition  Proposal to the
stockholders  of the  Company,  if and only to the  extent  that,  in such  case
referred to in clause (B) or (C), (i) the Board of  Directors  concludes in good
faith (after  consultation  with its financial  advisors) that such  Acquisition
Proposal is  reasonably  capable of being  completed,  taking  into  account all
legal,  financial  and other  aspects of the proposal and the person  making the
proposal,  and would, if consummated,  result in a transaction more favorable to
the Company's  stockholders  from a financial point of view than the transaction
contemplated  by this Agreement (any such more  favorable  Acquisition  Proposal
being referred to in this Agreement as a "Superior Proposal"), (ii) the Board of
Directors determines in good faith after consultation with outside legal counsel
that such  action is  necessary  for the Board of  Directors  to comply with its
fiduciary  duties  under  applicable  law  and  (iii)  prior  to  providing  any
non-public  information or data to any person in connection  with an Acquisition
Proposal by any such person, the Board of Directors receives from such person an
executed  confidentiality  agreement  on terms  substantially  similar  to those
contained  in the  Confidentiality  Agreement  (as defined  below).  The Company
agrees that it will  immediately  cease and cause to be terminated  any existing
activities,  discussions or negotiations with any parties  conducted  heretofore
with respect to any Acquisition  Proposal.  The Company agrees that it will take
the necessary steps to promptly  inform the individuals or entities  referred to
in the first sentence hereof of the obligations

<PAGE>


undertaken in this Section 7.2. The Company agrees that it will notify Purchaser
promptly if any such  inquiries,  proposals  or offers are received by, any such
information  is requested  from, or any such  discussions  or  negotiations  are
sought to be initiated or continued with, any of its representatives indicating,
in  connection  with  such  notice,  the name of such  person  and the terms and
conditions  of any  proposals  or offers and  thereafter  shall  keep  Purchaser
informed,  on a current basis,  of the status and terms of any such proposals or
offers and the status of any such discussions or negotiations.  The Company also
agrees  that it will  promptly  request  that each  person  that has  heretofore
executed a confidentiality agreement in connection with its consideration of any
Acquisition Proposal to return all confidential information heretofore furnished
to such Person by or on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

                  7.3.  Meetings  of the  Company's  Stockholders.  If  required
following  termination  of the Offer,  the Company  will take,  consistent  with
applicable  law and the  Certificate  and the Bylaws,  all action  necessary  to
convene a meeting of holders of Shares as  promptly as  practicable  to consider
and vote  upon  the  approval  of this  Agreement  and the  Merger.  Subject  to
fiduciary requirements of applicable law, the Board of Directors shall recommend
such  approval  and the  Company  shall take all lawful  action to solicit  such
approval. At any such meeting of the Company all of the Shares then owned by the
Purchaser  Companies  will be voted in favor of this  Agreement.  The  Company's
proxy or information statement with respect to such meeting of shareholders (the
"Proxy  Statement"),  at the date thereof and at the date of such meeting,  will
not include an untrue  statement of a material  fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements  therein,
in light of the  circumstances  under  which  they were  made,  not  misleading;
provided,  however,  that the  foregoing  shall not apply to the extent that any
such untrue  statement of a material  fact or omission to state a material  fact
was  made by the  Company  in  reliance  upon  and in  conformity  with  written
information  concerning  the  Purchaser  Companies  furnished  to the Company by
Purchaser specifically for use in the Proxy Statement. The Proxy Statement shall
not be filed, and no amendment or supplement to the Proxy Statement will be made
by the Company, without consultation with Purchaser and its counsel.

                  7.4.  Filings;   Other  Action.   Subject  to  the  terms  and
conditions  herein provided,  the Company and Purchaser shall: (a) promptly make
their  respective  filings and thereafter  make any other  required  submissions
under the HSR Act and required  under  healthcare  licensure and  certificate of
need laws and  regulations  with  respect to the Offer and the Merger;  (b) with
respect to Purchaser,  use its  reasonable  best efforts and with respect to the
Company  commercially  reasonable  efforts  (which  shall  include,  among other
things,  delivery of  customary  officers  certificates  and legal  opinions) to
obtain the financing

<PAGE>


necessary for  Purchaser  and Merger Sub to purchase all Shares  pursuant to the
Offer and the  Merger  and pay  related  fees and  expenses,  pay for all of the
outstanding Notes at the face value thereof,  refinance Purchaser's  outstanding
obligations under  Purchaser's  existing $1 Billion Credit Agreement dated as of
September 11, 1995 and the Company's outstanding obligations under the Company's
existing  Amended and Restated  Financing  and Security  Agreement  dated May 8,
1995;  and (c) use  reasonable  best  efforts to promptly  take,  or cause to be
taken, all other action and do, or cause to be done, all other things necessary,
proper or appropriate  under  applicable  laws and regulations to consummate and
make  effective  the  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement  as soon as
practicable.

                  7.5. Access.  Upon reasonable  notice,  the Company shall (and
shall cause each of its subsidiaries to) afford Purchaser's officers, employees,
counsel,  accountants and other authorized  representatives  ("Representatives")
access,  during  normal  business  hours  throughout  the  period  prior  to the
Effective Time, to its properties, books, Contracts and records and, during such
period,  the Company shall (and shall cause each of its subsidiaries to) furnish
promptly to Purchaser all  information  concerning its business,  properties and
personnel as Purchaser or its Representatives  may reasonably request,  provided
that no investigation  pursuant to this Section 7.5 shall affect or be deemed to
modify any representation or warranty made by the Company and provided, further,
that the foregoing shall not require the Company to permit any inspection, or to
disclose any  information,  which in the reasonable  judgment of the Company (a)
would  result in the  disclosure  of any trade  secrets of third  parties if the
Company shall have  unsuccessfully used reasonable efforts to obtain the consent
of such third party to such inspection or disclosure,  (b) would be in violation
of applicable law, rules or regulation or (c) constitutes  information protected
by  attorney-client  privilege,  but only to the extent  that  disclosure  would
impair the Company's ability to assert such attorney-client  privilege. Upon any
termination of this Agreement, Purchaser will treat all documents obtained by it
or  any  of  its   Representatives   in   accordance   with  the  terms  of  the
Confidentiality  Agreement, dated as of September 17, 1996 (the "Confidentiality
Agreement") between the Company and Purchaser.

                  7.6.  Notification of Certain Matters.  The Company shall give
prompt  notice to  Purchaser  of:  (a) any  notice  of,  or other  communication
relating to, any  environmental  matter, a default or event that, with notice or
lapse of time or both, would become a default, received by the Company or any of
its  subsidiaries  subsequent  to the date of this  Agreement  and  prior to the
Effective  Time,  under  any  Contract  to  which  the  Company  or  any  of its
subsidiaries  is a party or is  subject  except  for  defaults  or events  which
individually or in the aggregate would be immaterial to the financial condition,
operations, properties, business or results of operations of the Company and its

<PAGE>


subsidiaries  taken as a whole; (b) any material adverse change in the financial
condition,  operations,  properties,  business or results of  operations  of the
Company and its  subsidiaries  taken as a whole or the  occurrence  of any event
which, so far as reasonably can be foreseen at the time of its occurrence, would
result in any such change.  Each of the Company and Purchaser  shall give prompt
notice to the other  party of any notice or other  communication  from any third
party  alleging  that the  consent of such third  party is or may be required in
connection  with the  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement and (c) the
occurrence  or failure to occur of an event that  would,  or,  with the lapse of
time could reasonably be expected to cause any representation or warranty of the
Company or its  subsidiaries  made by the  Company in this  Agreement  to become
inaccurate in any material respect.

                  7.7.  Publicity.  The  initial press release shall be  a joint
press release and thereafter the  Company and Purchaser shall consult  with each
other prior to issuing any press releases or otherwise making public  statements
with respect to the  transactions contemplated hereby and  prior to  making  any
filings with any Governmental Entity,  with any national securities exchange  or
with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. with respect thereto.

                  7.8.  Stocks Plans and  Options.  (a) Unless  Purchaser  shall
provide the Company with the notice  contemplated by Section 7.8(b) below, then,
at the Effective  Time,  each  outstanding  option to purchase  Shares under the
Stock Plans,  other than any option  granted under the Company's  Employee Stock
Purchase Plan (collectively,  the "Options"),  whether vested or unvested, shall
be converted into an option to acquire, on the same terms and conditions as were
applicable  under such Option,  the number of shares of Common Stock,  par value
$0.25 per share of Purchaser  (the  "Purchaser  Common  Stock") equal to (a) the
number  of  Shares  subject  to the  Option,  multiplied  by (b) (i) the  Merger
Consideration,  divided  by (ii)  the  average  of the  high  and low  price  of
Purchaser Common Stock on the trading day immediately  preceding the date of the
Effective  Time as  reported  in the New York City  edition  of The Wall  Street
Journal (rounded down to the nearest whole number) (a "Replacement  Option"), at
an exercise  price per share (rounded up to the nearest whole cent) equal to (y)
the aggregate  exercise price for the Shares which were purchasable  pursuant to
such Option  divided by (z) the number of full shares of Purchaser  Common Stock
subject to such Replacement Option in accordance with the foregoing. At or prior
to the Effective Time, the Company shall take all action  necessary with respect
to the Stock  Plans to permit  the  replacement  of the  outstanding  Options by
Purchaser  pursuant  to  this  Section  and as  soon as  practicable  after  the
Effective Time Purchaser shall use its reasonable best efforts to register under
the Securities Act on Form S-8 or other appropriate form (and use its reasonable
best efforts to maintain the effectiveness thereof) shares of

<PAGE>


Purchaser Common Stock issuable pursuant to all Replacement Options. The Company
shall take all action necessary,  including obtaining any required consents from
optionees,  to provide that  following the Effective  Time no participant in any
Stock  Plan or other  plans,  programs  or  arrangements  shall  have any  right
thereunder  to  acquire  equity   securities  of  the  Company,   the  Surviving
Corporation  or any  subsidiary  thereof and to permit  Purchaser  to assume the
Stock Plans (other than the Company's Employee Stock Purchase Plan, with respect
to which the Company  shall take all action  necessary  to  terminate  such plan
immediately  prior to the  Effective  Time).  The Company shall further take all
action  necessary to amend the Stock Plans,  to  eliminate  automatic  grants or
awards thereunder following the Effective Time. At the Effective Time, Purchaser
shall assume the Stock Plans (other than the Company's  Employee  Stock Purchase
Plan);  provided,  that  such  assumption  shall  be  only  in  respect  of  the
Replacement  Options and that Purchaser shall have no obligation with respect to
any awards under the Stock Plans other than the  Replacement  Options or to make
any additional grants or awards under such assumed Stock Plans.

                   (b) If Purchaser  shall provide written notice to the Company
by February 24, 1997 of its election to treat the Options in accordance with the
provisions  of this Section  7.8(b),  then,  at the  Effective  Time,  each then
outstanding  Option,  whether  vested or unvested,  shall be  cancelled  and the
holder  thereof  shall be  entitled  to  receive  an amount of cash equal to the
product of (x) the amount, if any, by which the Merger Consideration exceeds the
exercise price per Share subject to such Option (whether vested or unvested) and
(y) the number of Shares issuable  pursuant to the  unexercised  portion of such
Option,  less any required  withholding of taxes (such amount being  hereinafter
referred to as the "Option  Consideration").  The Option  Consideration shall be
paid as soon as  practicable  following  the  Effective  Time,  but in any event
within five (5) days following the Effective Time.  Prior to the Effective Time,
the  Company  shall take such  actions as may be  necessary  to  effectuate  the
foregoing,  including without limitation obtaining all applicable consents.  The
cancellation  of an Option in  exchange  for the Option  Consideration  shall be
deemed a release of any and all rights the holder had or may have had in respect
of such Option,  and any required consents received from Option holders shall so
provide.  All Stock Plans and Options shall  terminate as of the Effective  Time
and the provisions in any other plan,  program or arrangement  providing for the
issuance or grant of any other  interest in respect of the capital  stock of the
Company or any subsidiary  thereof,  shall be canceled as of the Effective Time,
and the Company shall take all action necessary,  including receiving applicable
consents  from  optionees,  to  terminate  all such  plans  and to  ensure  that
following the Effective  Time no  participant  in any Stock Plan or other plans,
programs  or  arrangements  shall have any right  thereunder  to acquire  equity
securities of the Purchaser, the

<PAGE>


Company, the Surviving  Corporation or any subsidiary thereof. If Purchaser does
not  provide  the written  notice  referred to in the first  sentence of Section
7.8(b), this Section 7.8(b) shall be inapplicable.

                  Section  7.9.   Indemnification;   Directors'   and  Officers'
Insurance.  (a) The bylaws and the certificate of incorporation of the Surviving
Corporation shall not be amended, repealed or otherwise modified for a period of
six years after the Effective Time in any manner that would adversely affect the
rights  thereunder of individuals  who  immediately  prior to the Effective Time
were directors, officers, or otherwise entitled to indemnification thereunder or
under the Bylaws or  indemnification  agreements  (the  "Indemnified  Parties").
Purchaser and the Surviving  Corporation shall jointly and severally  indemnify,
defend and hold  harmless  the  Indemnified  Parties (in the case of  Purchaser,
subject  to  the  provisions  of  subsection  (b)  below)  as  provided  in  the
Certificate,  Bylaws or indemnification  agreements, as in effect as of the date
hereof,  with respect to matters  occurring  through the  Effective  Time to the
fullest  extent the Company  would have been  permitted to do so under  Delaware
law, the  Certificate  and Bylaws as in effect as of the date hereof.  Purchaser
shall cause  Surviving  Corporation  to maintain in effect for not less than six
years after the Effective Time the current  policies of directors' and officers'
liability insurance  maintained by the Company with respect to matters occurring
prior  to  the  Effective  Time;  provided,  however,  that  (i)  the  Surviving
Corporation may substitute therefor policies of at least the same coverage (with
carriers  comparable to the Company's  existing  carriers)  containing terms and
conditions  which  are no  less  advantageous  to the  officers,  directors  and
employees  of the  Company  and  (ii) the  Surviving  Corporation  shall  not be
required to pay an annual  premium for such insurance in excess of two times the
last  annual  premium  paid  prior to the date  hereof,  but in such case  shall
purchase as much coverage as possible for such amount. Purchaser shall cause the
Surviving  Corporation to reimburse all expenses including reasonable attorney's
fees,  incurred  by any  person  to  enforce  successfully  the  obligations  of
Purchaser and the Surviving Corporation under this Section 7.9.

                   (b) Any  Indemnified  Party wishing to claim  indemnification
under  paragraph  (a) of Section 7.9 from  Purchaser,  upon learning of any such
claim,  action,  suit,  proceeding  or  investigation,   shall  promptly  notify
Purchaser thereof. In the event of any such claim, action,  suit,  proceeding or
investigation  (whether  arising  before  or  after  the  Effective  Time),  (i)
Purchaser  or the  Surviving  Corporation  shall  have the right to  assume  the
defense thereof and Purchaser and the Surviving  Corporation shall not be liable
to such Indemnified Parties for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other
expenses  subsequently  incurred by such Indemnified  Parties in connection with
the defense thereof unless counsel for the

<PAGE>


Indemnified  Parties reasonably  advises the Indemnified  Parties that there are
issues that raise  conflicts of interest  between  Purchaser and the Indemnified
Parties that make such  assumption  unadvisable,  in which case the  Indemnified
Parties may retain counsel,  reasonably  satisfactory to Purchaser and Purchaser
shall pay the reasonable  legal  expenses of such  Indemnified  Party,  (ii) the
Indemnified  Parties will  cooperate in the defense of any such matter and (iii)
Purchaser  shall not be liable for any  settlement  effected  without  its prior
written  consent;  and  provided  further  that  Purchaser  shall  not  have any
obligation  hereunder to any Indemnified  Party when and if a court of competent
jurisdiction  shall  ultimately  determine,  and such  determination  shall have
become final, that the  indemnification  of such Indemnified Party in the manner
contemplated hereby is prohibited by applicable law.

                  7.10.  Notes.  If Merger  Sub or any other  Purchaser  Company
shall have purchased  Shares  pursuant to the Offer,  the Company shall take all
necessary  action  prior to the  Effective  Time,  to enter into a  supplemental
indenture with the Trustee  pursuant to the Indenture under which the Notes were
issued, to provide, among other things, that on and after the Effective Time the
Notes will be convertible only into the Merger Consideration.

                  7.11.  Benefit  Plans.  It is the intention of Purchaser  that
within a reasonable  period of time  following  the  Effective  Time (a) it will
provide  employees of the  Surviving  Corporation  with  employee  benefit plans
substantially  similar in the aggregate to those provided to similarly  situated
employees of Purchaser,  (b) any such employees will receive credit for years of
service with the Company or any or its subsidiaries  prior to the Effective Time
for the purpose of eligibility and vesting and (c) Purchaser shall cause any and
all pre-existing  condition  limitations (to the extent such limitations did not
apply to a pre-existing  condition under the Compensation and Benefit Plans) and
eligibility  waiting  periods under group health plans to be waived with respect
to such participants and their eligible dependents. All discretionary awards and
benefits  under  any  employee  benefit  plans  of  Purchaser  or the  Surviving
Corporation  shall be  subject to the  discretion  of the  persons or  committee
administering such plans.

                  7.12.  Takeover Statute.  If any Takeover Statute shall become
applicable to the transactions  contemplated hereby, the Company and the members
of the Board of Directors  shall grant such  approvals  and take such actions as
are necessary so that the transactions contemplated hereby may be consummated as
promptly as  practicable on the terms  contemplated  hereby and otherwise act to
eliminate  or  minimize  the  effects  of  such  statute  or  regulation  on the
transactions contemplated hereby.

                  7.13.   1996  10-K.   The  Company  will  periodically provide
Purchaser with  current draft  versions of  the Company's  Annual Report on Form
10-K, including documents incorporated

<PAGE>


therein by reference,  for the year ended  December 31, 1996.  The  consolidated
balance  sheets  included in or  incorporated  by reference  into the  Company's
Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the year  ended  December  31,  1996 (the  "1996
10-K")  (including  the related  notes and  schedules)  will fairly  present the
consolidated  financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of their
respective  dates  and each of the  consolidated  statements  of  income  and of
changes in financial  position included in or incorporated by reference into the
1996 10-K  (including any related notes and  schedules)  will fairly present the
results of operations,  retained earnings and changes in financial position,  as
the case may be, of the Company and its  subsidiaries  for the periods set forth
therein in each case in accordance  with GAAP  consistently  applied  during the
periods involved.

                  7.14. Warrants. Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall
cause any one or more of the  following  events to occur:  (i) the  exercise  or
conversion of all of the  outstanding  Warrants for or into Shares in accordance
with the  terms of the  applicable  Warrants,  (ii) the  entry  into  agreements
between  the  Company  and  the  holders  of each  of the  outstanding  Warrants
providing that each Warrant shall,  following the Merger, be exercisable for, at
the  exercise  price  of  such  Warrant,  the  securities,   property  or  other
consideration  which a holder of such Warrant would have received had the holder
exchanged  or  converted  such  Warrant  for  Shares  immediately  prior  to the
Effective Time or (iii) a reclassification of the Company's Shares in accordance
with the DGCL,  so that each Share shall be redeemable at any time at the option
of the  Company for an amount per share  equal to the Merger  Consideration  and
simultaneously  with  the  effectiveness  of  such  reclassification   issue  to
Purchaser or Merger Sub, at Purchaser's election, 1,000 shares (constituting all
of the authorized shares of such class) of a new class of Company non-redeemable
common  stock,  par value  0.25 per share  (or,  any  combination  of the events
referred to in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) above, which when taken together apply
to all of the outstanding  Warrants so that no Warrants may be exercised for any
Shares which are not redeemable at the Company's election).

                  7.15  Orders.  In the  event  that any Order  (as  defined  in
Section 8.1(d)) shall come into effect,  the parties shall use their  reasonable
best efforts to cause any such Order to be lifted.


                                  ARTICLE VIII

                                   Conditions

                  8.1.  Conditions to  Obligations of Purchaser and  Merger Sub.
The  respective  obligations  of  Purchaser  and   Merger  Sub to consummate the
Merger are subject to the fulfillment of each of

<PAGE>


the following conditions,  any or all of which may be waived in whole or in part
by  Purchaser  or Merger  Sub,  as the case may be, to the extent  permitted  by
applicable law:

                   (a) Stockholder Approval. This Agreement shall have been duly
approved  by the  holders  of a  majority  of the  Shares,  in  accordance  with
applicable  law and the  Certificate  and the  Bylaws  and,  if  necessary,  the
reclassification shall have been effected in accordance with Section 7.14;

                   (b)       Purchase of  Shares.   Merger Sub  (or one  of  the
Purchaser Companies) shall have purchased Shares pursuant to the Offer;

                   (c) Governmental and Regulatory Consents.  The waiting period
applicable  to the  consummation  of the  Merger  under the HSR Act  shall  have
expired or been terminated,  all necessary approvals under healthcare  licensure
and certificate of need laws and regulations shall have been received and, other
than the filings  provided for in Section  2.3, all filings  required to be made
prior to the Effective Time by the Company with, and all consents, approvals and
authorizations  required  to be  obtained  prior  to the  Effective  Time by the
Company  from,  any  Governmental  Entity in  connection  with the execution and
delivery  of  this  Agreement  by  the  Company  and  the  consummation  of  the
transactions contemplated hereby by the Company,  Purchaser and Merger Sub shall
have been made or obtained (as the case may be),  except where the failure to be
so  obtained  would  be  immaterial  to  the  financial  condition,  operations,
properties,  business  or results of  operations  of each of  Purchaser  and the
Company and their respective subsidiaries, in each case, taken as a whole;

                   (d)  Litigation.  No court or other  Governmental  Entity  of
competent  jurisdiction  shall have enacted,  issued,  promulgated,  enforced or
entered any statute, rule,  regulation,  judgment,  decree,  injunction or other
order  (whether  temporary,  preliminary  or  permanent)  which is in effect and
prohibits  consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated by this Agreement or
imposes  material  restrictions  on Purchaser or the Company in connection  with
consummation of the Merger or with respect to their business operations,  either
prior to or subsequent to the Merger (collectively, an "Order"); provided, that,
Purchaser and Merger Sub shall have complied with Section 7.15;

                   (e)        Compliance;  Consents.   The  representations  and
warranties contained in Section  6.1 shall be true  in all material respects  as
of the Effective  Time as though  made at and  as of the  Effective Time, except
for changes contemplated by this Agreement; and

                   (f)      Rights Agreement.  The  Rights Agreement shall  have
expired.



<PAGE>


                  8.2. Conditions to Obligations of the Company. The obligations
of the Company to consummate  the Merger are subject to the  fulfillment of each
of the  following  conditions,  any or all of which may be waived in whole or in
part by the Company to the extent permitted by applicable law:

                   (a)       Stockholder Approval.   This Agreement  shall  have
been duly approved  by the holders  of a majority  of the Shares,  in accordance
with applicable law and the Certificate and By-Laws of the Company;

                   (b)       Purchase of  Shares.   Merger Sub  (or one  of  the
Purchaser Companies) shall have purchased Shares pursuant to the Offer;

                   (c) Governmental  Consents.  The waiting period applicable to
the  consummation  of the Merger  under the HSR Act shall  have  expired or been
terminated and, other than the filings  provided for in Section 2.3, all filings
required  to be made prior to the  Effective  Time by  Purchaser  and Merger Sub
with, and all consents,  approvals,  permits and  authorizations  required to be
obtained  prior to the  Effective  Time by  Purchaser  and Merger Sub from,  any
Governmental  Entity in  connection  with the  execution  and  delivery  of this
Agreement by Purchaser and Merger Sub and the  consummation of the  transactions
contemplated  hereby by  Purchaser,  Merger Sub and the Company  shall have been
made or obtained (as the case may be); and

          (d)  Order.  There shall be in effect no Order.


                                   ARTICLE IX

                                   Termination

                  9.1.  Termination  by Mutual  Consent.  This  Agreement may be
terminated  and the Merger may be abandoned  at any time prior to the  Effective
Time,  before or after the approval by holders of Shares,  by the mutual consent
of Purchaser,  Merger Sub and the Company,  by action of their respective Boards
of Directors.

                  9.2.  Termination  by either  Purchaser or the  Company.  This
Agreement may be terminated  and the Merger may be abandoned by action of either
the board of directors of Purchaser or the Board of Directors if (i) Merger Sub,
or any Purchaser Company, shall have terminated the Offer without purchasing any
Shares pursuant thereto;  provided, in the case of termination of this Agreement
by Purchaser,  such termination of the Offer is not in violation of the terms of
the Offer or (ii) the Merger shall not have been  consummated  by September  30,
1997  whether  or not such date is before or after the  approval  by  holders of
Shares or (iii) the approval of  shareholders  required by Section  8.1(a) shall
not have been obtained at a meeting duly convened therefor.


<PAGE>



                  9.3.   Termination   by  Purchaser.   This  Agreement  may  be
terminated  and the Merger may be abandoned  at any time prior to the  Effective
Time,  before or after the approval by holders of Shares, by action of the board
of directors of Purchaser, if (x) the Company shall have failed to comply in any
material  respect  with any of the  covenants  or  agreements  contained in this
Agreement  to be complied  with or  performed by the Company at or prior to such
date of  termination  which  failure is incapable of being cured or has not been
cured by the  earlier to occur of 10 days after the giving of written  notice to
the Company and the  scheduled  expiration  date of the Offer,  (y) the Board of
Directors  shall have  withdrawn or modified in a manner adverse to Purchaser or
Merger Sub its approval or  recommendation  of the Offer,  this Agreement or the
Merger or the  Board of  Directors  shall  fail to  reaffirm  such  approval  or
recommendation within 10 business days after a request by Purchaser to do so, or
shall have resolved to do any of the foregoing,  or (z) if the Company or any of
the other  persons or entities  described  in Section 7.2 shall take any actions
that would be proscribed  by Section 7.2 but for the exception  contained in the
proviso to the first  sentence of Section  7.2  allowing  certain  actions to be
taken in response to an unsolicited bona fide Acquisition Proposal.

                  9.4.  Termination  by  the  Company.  This  Agreement  may  be
terminated  and the Merger may be abandoned  at any time prior to the  Effective
Time,  before or after the  approval by holders of Shares by action of the Board
of Directors,  (a) if Purchaser or Merger Sub (or another Purchaser Company) (i)
shall have failed to comply in any material respect with any of the covenants or
agreements  contained  in this  Agreement  to be complied  with or  performed by
Purchaser or Merger Sub at or prior to such date of termination which failure is
incapable  of being  cured or has not been  cured by the  earlier to occur of 10
days after the giving of written notice to Purchaser or the scheduled expiration
date of the Offer or (ii) shall have  failed to  commence  the Offer  within the
time  required in Section 1.1 or (b) if the Board of  Directors  authorizes  the
Company,  subject to complying with the terms of this Agreement, to enter into a
binding written  agreement  concerning a transaction that constitutes a Superior
Proposal  and the Company  notifies  Parent in writing  that it intends to enter
into such an agreement,  attaching the most current version of such agreement to
such notice,  and  Purchaser  does not make,  within five days of receipt of the
Company's  written  notification  of its  intention  to  enter  into  a  binding
agreement for a Superior Proposal an offer that is at least as favorable, from a
financial  point of view,  to the  stockholders  of the Company as the  Superior
Proposal;  provided that the Company has complied with all provisions of Section
7.2 and that it complies  with all  applicable  provisions  of Section  9.5. The
Company agrees (i) that it will not enter into a binding  agreement  referred to
in clause  (b) above  until at least  the  sixth day after it has  provided  the
notice to Parent required thereby and (ii) to notify  Purchaser  promptly if its
intention to enter into the written

<PAGE>


agreement  referred to in its notification shall change at any time after giving
such notification.

          9.5.  Effect  of  Termination  and  Abandonment.  (a) In the  event of
termination  of this Agreement and  abandonment  of the Merger  pursuant to this
Article  IX, no party  hereto  (or any of its  directors,  officers,  employees,
agents or advisors (financial,  legal or accounting) shall have any liability or
further  obligation to any other party to this Agreement,  except as provided in
Section  9.5(b)  below and  Section  10.2 and except  that  nothing  herein will
relieve any party from liability for any breach of this Agreement.

                   (b) If  this  Agreement  is  terminated  (x)  by the  Company
pursuant to Section  9.4(b)  then the  Company  shall at or prior to the time of
such termination,  pay Purchaser a fee of $10,000,000 (the  "Termination  Fee"),
which  amount  shall be  payable  in same day  funds,  plus an  amount  equal to
Purchaser's  out-of-pocket  expenses,   including  fees  and  expenses  paid  to
investment bankers,  lawyers and financing sources,  incurred in connection with
the  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement  in an amount  not to exceed
$1,500,000 (the "Purchaser  Expenses") or (y) by the Company or Purchaser at any
time after (i) the Offer shall have  remained  open for a minimum of at least 20
business days, (ii) after the date hereof any corporation,  partnership, person,
other entity or group (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) other
than  Purchaser  or  Merger  Sub or  any of  their  respective  subsidiaries  or
affiliates (collectively,  a "Person") shall have become the beneficial owner of
15% or more of the  outstanding  Shares or any Person shall have  commenced,  or
shall have  publicly  announced  an  intention  to  commence,  a tender offer or
exchange offer for 15% or more of the outstanding  Shares, and (iii) the Minimum
Condition (as defined in Annex A) shall not have been satisfied and the Offer is
terminated  without  the  purchase  of any Shares  thereunder,  or by  Purchaser
pursuant to Section 9.3 then, if terminated pursuant to Section 9.3, the Company
shall promptly pay to Purchaser the Purchaser  Expenses and, if within 18 months
of the date of any termination referred to in clause (y) of this Section 9.5(b),
the  Company  or  any  of  its  subsidiaries  shall  consummate  an  Acquisition
Transaction,  the Company shall,  promptly,  but in no event later than two days
after the entry into such agreement, pay Purchaser the Termination Fee and shall
also pay to Purchaser  the  Purchaser  Expenses,  if not  previously  paid.  The
Company  agrees that it will not structure any  transaction or agreement for the
purpose of avoiding  payment of the  Termination  Fee. The Company  acknowledges
that the agreements contained in this Section 9.5(b) are an integral part of the
transactions contemplated in this Agreement, and that, without these agreements,
Purchaser and Merger Sub would not enter into this  Agreement;  accordingly,  if
the  Company  fails to  promptly  pay the amount due  pursuant  to this  Section
9.5(b), and, in order to obtain such payment,  Purchaser or Merger Sub commences
a suit

<PAGE>


which  results in a judgment  against  the Company for the fee set forth in this
paragraph  (b),  the Company  shall pay to Purchaser or Merger Sub its costs and
expenses (including attorneys' fees) in connection with such suit, together with
interest  on the amount of the fee at the prime rate of  Citibank,  N.A.  on the
date such payment was required to be made.

                   (c) If this  Agreement is terminated by the Company  pursuant
to Section 9.4(a)(i) or (ii) then Purchaser shall promptly pay to the Company an
amount  equal  to the  Company's  out-of-pocket  expenses,  including  fees  and
expenses paid to investment  bankers and lawyers incurred in connection with the
transactions  contemplated  by  this  Agreement  in  an  amount  not  to  exceed
$1,500,000.  If,  solely  as a result  of the  occurrence  of any of the  events
specified in paragraph  (h) of Annex A, Merger Sub and  Purchaser  (i) terminate
the Offer without  paying for Shares or (ii) extend the  expiration  date of the
Offer beyond September 30, 1997, then Purchaser  shall,  prior to or at the time
of such  termination in the case of clause (i) above or on September 30, 1997 in
the case of clause (ii) above,  pay to the Company a fee of  $40,000,000 in same
day funds, less any amounts paid pursuant to the preceding  sentence.  Purchaser
acknowledges  that  the  agreements  contained  in this  Section  9.5(c)  are an
integral part of the  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement,  and that,
without  these  agreements,  the  Company  would not enter into this  Agreement;
accordingly,  if Purchaser fails to promptly pay the amount due pursuant to this
Section 9.5(c),  and, in order to obtain such payment,  the Company  commences a
suit which results in a judgment against Purchaser for the fee set forth in this
paragraph  (c),  Purchaser  shall pay to the  Company  its  costs  and  expenses
(including attorneys' fees) in connection with such suit, together with interest
on the amount of such  payment at the prime rate of  Citibank,  N.A. on the date
such payment was required to be made.


                                   ARTICLE X

                           Miscellaneous and General

                  10.1.  Payment of Expenses.  Except as otherwise  set forth in
Section 9.5,  whether or not the Merger shall be consummated,  each party hereto
shall pay its own expenses incident to preparing for, entering into and carrying
out this Agreement and the consummation of the Merger.

                  10.2. Survival.  The agreements of the Company,  Purchaser and
Merger Sub  contained  in Sections 5.2 (but only to the extent that such Section
expressly  relates to actions to be taken after the  Effective  Time),  5.3, 5.4
,7.8, 7.9, 7.10, 7.11 and 10.1 shall survive the consummation of the Merger. The
agreements  of the Company,  Purchaser and Merger Sub contained in Sections 7.5,
9.5 and 10.1 shall survive the termination of this Agreement. Except as provided
in Section 9.5(a), all other

<PAGE>


representations,  warranties,  agreements and covenants in this Agreement  shall
not survive the consummation of the Merger or the termination of this Agreement.

                  10.3.  Modification  or Amendment.  Subject to the  applicable
provisions  of the DGCL, at any time prior to the  Effective  Time,  the parties
hereto may modify or amend this  Agreement,  by written  agreement  executed and
delivered by duly authorized officers of the respective parties.

                  10.4.  Waiver  of Conditions.   The conditions to  each of the
parties' obligations to consummate the Merger  are for the sole benefit of  such
party  and  may  be  waived  by  such  party  in  whole or in part to the extent
permitted by applicable law.

                  10.5.   Counterparts.   For  the  convenience  of  the parties
hereto, this Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each  such
counterpart  being  deemed   to  be  an   original  instrument,  and   all  such
counterparts shall together constitute the same agreement.

                  10.6.   Governing Law.   This Agreement  shall be  governed by
and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.

                  10.7.  Notices.  Any  notice,  request,  instruction  or other
document to be given  hereunder  by any party to the others  shall be in writing
and  delivered  personally  or sent by  registered  or certified  mail,  postage
prepaid, if to Purchaser or Merger Sub, addressed to Purchaser or Merger Sub, as
the  case  may be,  at  Vencor,  Inc.,  400  West  Market  Street,  Suite  3300,
Louisville,  Kentucky  40202,  Attention:  President  (with a copy to  Joseph B.
Frumkin, Esq., Sullivan & Cromwell, 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004);
and if to the Company, addressed to the Company at TheraTx,  Incorporated,  1105
Sanctuary Parkway, Suite 100, Alpharetta,  Georgia 30201,  Attention:  President
(with a copy to Steven J. Gartner, Esq., Willkie Farr & Gallagher, 153 East 53rd
Street,  New York, New York 10022), or to such other persons or addresses as may
be designated in writing by the party to receive such notice.

                  10.8.  Entire  Agreement,  etc. This Agreement  (including any
schedules,  exhibits or Annexes  hereto) and the  Confidentiality  Agreement (a)
constitute the entire  agreement,  and  supersedes  all other prior  agreements,
understandings,  representations and warranties both written and oral, among the
parties,  with  respect  to the  subject  matter  hereof,  and (b)  shall not be
assignable  by operation  of law or otherwise  and is not intended to create any
obligations  to, or rights in respect  of, any  persons  other than the  parties
hereto,  except as provided in Section 7.9); provided,  however,  that Purchaser
may designate, by written notice to the Company,  another wholly-owned direct or
indirect  subsidiary to be a Constituent  Corporation  in lieu of Merger Sub, in
the event of which, all references herein to

<PAGE>


Merger Sub shall be deemed  references to such other subsidiary  except that all
representations  and warranties made herein with respect to Merger Sub as of the
date of this Agreement shall be deemed  representations and warranties made with
respect to such other subsidiary as of the date of such designation.

                  10.9. Definition of "Subsidiary" and "Significant Subsidiary".
When a reference is made in this Agreement to a subsidiary of a party,  the word
"subsidiary" means any corporation or other organization whether incorporated or
unincorporated  of which at least a  majority  of the  securities  or  interests
having by the terms thereof  ordinary  voting power to elect at least a majority
of the board of directors or others performing similar functions with respect to
such  corporation  or other  organization  is  directly or  indirectly  owned or
controlled by such party or by any one or more of its  subsidiaries,  or by such
party  and one or more of its  subsidiaries.  When a  reference  is made in this
Agreement to a "Significant Subsidiary," the term "Significant Subsidiary" shall
have the meaning set forth in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.

                  10.10.  Obligation  of  Purchaser.   Whenever  this  Agreement
requires  Merger Sub to take any  action,  such  requirement  shall be deemed to
include an undertaking on the part of Purchaser to cause Merger Sub to take such
action.

                  10.11.   Captions.    The  Article,   Section  and   paragraph
captions herein are  for convenience of  reference only, do  not constitute part
of this Agreement and  shall not be deemed  to limit or otherwise  affect any of
the provisions hereof.



<PAGE>




                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  this Agreement has been duly executed and
delivered  by the duly  authorized  officers of the  parties  hereto on the date
first hereinabove written.



                                            VENCOR, INC.



                                            By:  /s/ James H. Gillenwater, Jr.
                                            Name:  James H. Gillenwater, Jr.
                                            Title: Senior Vice President


                                            PEACH ACQUISITION CORP.



                                            By:  /s/ W. Earl Reed, III
                                            Name:  W. Earl Reed, III
                                            Title: Vice President


                                            THERATX, INCORPORATED



                                            By:  /s/ John A. Bardis
                                            Name:   John A. Bardis
                                            Title:  President and Chief
                                                     Executive Officer


<PAGE>


                                                                         Annex A

                  Certain  Conditions  of the Offer.  Notwithstanding  any other
provision of the Offer,  until (i)  expiration or  termination of all applicable
waiting  periods under the HSR Act and (ii) receipt of all  necessary  approvals
under change of ownership, healthcare licensure and certificate of need laws and
regulations,  Merger Sub shall not be required to accept for payment or, subject
to any  applicable  rules and  regulations  of the SEC,  including Rule 14e-1(c)
promulgated  under the Exchange Act (relating to  Purchaser's  obligation to pay
for or return tendered  shares  promptly after  termination or withdrawal of the
Offer), Merger Sub shall not be required to pay for, or may delay the acceptance
for  payment  of or  payment  for,  any  tendered  Shares,  or may,  in its sole
discretion (subject to the Merger Agreement), terminate or amend the Offer as to
any Shares not then  accepted  for  payment  if a majority  of the total  Shares
outstanding  on a fully  diluted  basis shall not have been properly and validly
tendered  pursuant to the Offer and not withdrawn prior to the expiration of the
Offer (the "Minimum Condition"),  or, if on or after February 9, 1997, and at or
before the time of  acceptance  for payment for any of such  Shares,  any of the
following events shall occur:

          (a) there  shall  have  occurred  (i) any  general  suspension  of, or
         limitation  on prices for,  trading in securities on the New York Stock
         Exchange  or  Nasdaq  or  in  the   over-the-counter   market,  (ii)  a
         declaration  of a banking  moratorium or any  suspension of payments in
         respect of banks in the United States, (iii) any limitation (whether or
         not mandatory) by any  governmental  or regulatory  authority,  agency,
         commission  or  other  entity,   domestic  or  foreign   ("Governmental
         Entity"),  on, or any other  event which might  adversely  affect,  the
         extension of credit by banks or other lending  institutions  or (iv) or
         in the  case  of  any of the  foregoing  existing  at the  time  of the
         commencement  of  the  Offer,  a  material  acceleration  or  worsening
         thereof;

          (b) the  Company  shall  have  breached  or failed to  perform  in any
         material respect any of its obligations,  covenants or agreements under
         the Merger  Agreement  which failure is incapable of being cured or has
         not been  cured by the  earlier to occur of 10 days after the giving of
         written notice to the Company and the scheduled  expiration date of the
         Offer or any representation or warranty of the Company set forth in the
         Merger  Agreement  shall  have been  inaccurate  or  incomplete  in any
         material  respect when made or  thereafter  shall become  inaccurate or
         incomplete in any material respect;


<PAGE>



          (c) there  shall be  threatened,  instituted  or pending  any  action,
         litigation,    proceeding,    investigation   or   other    application
         (hereinafter,  an  "Action")  before  any  court or other  Governmental
         Entity by any Governmental  Entity:  (i) challenging the acquisition by
         Purchaser or Merger Sub of Shares,  seeking to restrain or prohibit the
         consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  by the  Offer  or the
         Merger, seeking to obtain any material damages or otherwise directly or
         indirectly  relating to the  transactions  contemplated by the Offer or
         the  Merger;   (ii)  seeking  to  prohibit,   or  impose  any  material
         limitations  on,  Purchaser's or Merger Sub's ownership or operation of
         all or any  material  portion  of their or the  Company's  business  or
         assets (including the business or assets of their respective affiliates
         and  subsidiaries),  or to compel Purchaser or Merger Sub to dispose of
         or hold separate all or any material  portion of  Purchaser's or Merger
         Sub's or the Company's  business or assets  (including  the business or
         assets of their respective  affiliates and subsidiaries) as a result of
         the transactions contemplated by the Offer or the Merger; (iii) seeking
         to make the acceptance  for payment,  purchase of, or payment for, some
         or all of the  Shares  illegal  or  render  Merger  Sub  unable  to, or
         restrict, the ability of Merger Sub to accept for payment,  purchase or
         pay for some or all of the  Shares;  (iv)  seeking  to impose  material
         limitations  on the ability of Purchaser or Merger Sub  effectively  to
         acquire or hold or to exercise  full rights of  ownership of the Shares
         including,  without limitation,  the right to vote the Shares purchased
         by them on an equal basis with all other Shares on all matters properly
         presented  to the  stockholders;  or (v)  that,  in any  event,  in the
         judgment of Purchaser, would be reasonably likely to have, individually
         or in the aggregate,  a Company  Material Adverse Effect as a result of
         consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  by the  Offer and the
         Merger,  other than any such  effect  arising out of or relating to the
         proposal,  adoption  or  implementation  after  the date of the  Merger
         Agreement  of  any  law,  statute,   rule  or  regulation  relating  to
         healthcare,  Medicaid or Medicare,  including  without  limitation  the
         proposal,  adoption or  implementation  of "salary  equivalency"  rates
         (including  amendments  to any salary  equivalency  rates  currently in
         effect) relating to the delivery of physical therapy,

<PAGE>


         occupational therapy, respiratory therapy or speech language  pathology
         services;

          (d) any  statute,  rule,  regulation,  order  or  injunction  shall be
         sought, proposed, enacted, promulgated,  entered, enforced or deemed or
         become applicable to the Offer or the Merger by any Governmental Entity
         that results in any of the effects of, or have any of the  consequences
         referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of  paragraph  (c) above,  other
         than any such effect or  consequence  arising out of or relating to the
         proposal,  adoption  or  implementation  after  the date of the  Merger
         Agreement  of  any  law,  statute,   rule  or  regulation  relating  to
         healthcare,  Medicaid or Medicare,  including  without  limitation  the
         proposal,  adoption or  implementation  of "salary  equivalency"  rates
         (including  amendments  to any salary  equivalency  rates  currently in
         effect)  relating to the  delivery of  physical  therapy,  occupational
         therapy, respiratory therapy or speech language pathology services;

          (e) any person,  entity or group shall have  entered into a definitive
         agreement  with the Company  with respect to a tender offer or exchange
         offer for some portion or all of the Shares or a merger,  consolidation
         or other business combination with or involving the Company;

          (f) any court or other Governmental  Entity of competent  jurisdiction
         shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any Order,
         provided,  that,  Purchaser  shall have used reasonable best efforts to
         cause any such Order to be lifted;

          (g) any  event,  change or  development  shall have  occurred  or been
         discovered that would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material
         Adverse  Effect,  other than any such Company  Material  Adverse Effect
         arising  out of any  law,  statute,  rule  or  regulation  relating  to
         healthcare,  Medicaid or Medicare,  including  without  limitation  the
         proposal,  adoption  or  implementation  after  the date of the  Merger
         Agreement of "salary  equivalency"  rates (including  amendments to any
         salary  equivalency rates currently in effect) relating to the delivery
         of  physical  therapy,  occupational  therapy,  respiratory  therapy or
         speech language pathology services;



<PAGE>


          (h) (i) any event,  change or development  shall have occurred or been
         discovered that would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse
         effect  (a  "Purchaser  Material  Adverse  Effect")  on  the  financial
         condition, operations, properties, business or results of operations of
         Purchaser and its subsidiaries,  taken as a whole,  other than any such
         material adverse effect arising out of or relating to (a) the proposal,
         adoption or  implementation  after the date of the Merger  Agreement of
         "salary   equivalency"  rates  (including   amendments  to  any  salary
         equivalency  rates  currently  in effect)  relating to the  delivery of
         physical therapy,  occupational therapy,  respiratory therapy or speech
         language  pathology  services,  or (b) any breach by  Purchaser  of the
         Merger  Agreement  and  (ii) as a  result  of such  Purchaser  Material
         Adverse Effect, Purchaser is not permitted to borrow funds necessary to
         consummate the Offer under its credit facilities then in effect.

          (i) the  Board  of  Directors  (or a  committee  thereof)  shall  have
         amended,  modified or withdrawn its  recommendation of the Offer or the
         Merger, or shall have failed to publicly reconfirm such  recommendation
         within ten  business  days upon  request by Purchaser or Merger Sub, or
         shall have  endorsed,  approved or  recommended  any other  Acquisition
         Proposal, or shall have resolved to do any of the foregoing; or

          (j) the Merger  Agreement shall have been terminated by the Company or
         Purchaser  or Merger Sub in  accordance  with its terms or Purchaser or
         Merger Sub shall have reached an agreement or  understanding in writing
         with the Company providing for termination or amendment of the Offer or
         delay in payment for the Shares;

which, in the reasonable judgment of Purchaser and Merger Sub, in any such case,
and  regardless  of the  circumstances  (including  any  action or  inaction  by
Purchaser  or  Merger  Sub)  giving  rise  to  any  such  conditions,  makes  it
inadvisable to proceed with the Offer and/or with such acceptance for payment of
or payment for Shares.

                  The foregoing conditions are for the sole benefit of Purchaser
and Merger Sub and may be asserted by Purchaser or Merger Sub  regardless of the
circumstances  (including  any action or  inaction by  Purchaser  or Merger Sub)
giving rise to such  condition  or may be waived by  Purchaser or Merger Sub, by
express and specific action to that effect,  in whole or in part at any time and
from time to time in its sole  discretion.  Any  determination  by Purchaser and
Merger Sub  concerning  any event  described  in this Annex A shall be final and
binding  upon all parties  except to the extent not  permitted  under the Merger
Agreement.



<PAGE>
                       AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                   AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of February  9,
1997  (the  "Amendment")  by  and  between  TheraTx,  Incorporated,  a  Delaware
corporation (the "Company"),  and U.S. Stock  Transfer Corporation (the  "Rights
Agent").

                                    RECITALS

                  WHEREAS,  the  Company  and the Rights  Agent are parties to a
Rights Agreement dated as of July 28, 1995 (the "Rights Agreement");

                  WHEREAS,  Vencor,  Inc.,  a Delaware  corporation  ("Vencor"),
Peach Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Vencor ("Vencor  Sub"),  and the Company have entered into an Agreement and Plan
of Merger dated as of February 9, 1997 (the "Vencor Merger Agreement")  pursuant
to which Vencor Sub will commence a tender offer for all  outstanding  shares of
the Company's Common Stock on the terms set forth in the Vencor Merger Agreement
(the  "Offer")  and,  thereafter,  will  merge  with and into the  Company  (the
"Merger");

                  WHEREAS,  the Board of Directors  of the Company  (including a
majority of the Continuing  Directors (as defined in the Rights  Agreement)) has
approved the Vencor Merger Agreement, the Offer and the Merger; and

                  WHEREAS,  pursuant to Section 27 of the Rights Agreement,  the
Board of Directors of the Company has determined that an amendment to the Rights
Agreement  as set  forth  herein is  necessary  and  desirable  to  reflect  the
foregoing and the Company and the Rights Agent desire to evidence such amendment
in writing.

                  Accordingly, the parties agree as follows:

                  1.  Amendment  of  Section  1(a).  Section  1(a) of the Rights
Agreement is hereby amended by adding the word "(i)" after the word "foregoing,"
in the  third  line  on  page 2 and by  adding  the  following  after  the  word
"Agreement" in the tenth line on page 2:

                  ",  and  (ii)  none  of  Vencor,  Vencor  Sub or any of  their
         respective Affiliates or Associates shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring
         Person"  for  any  purpose  of  this  Agreement  by  virtue  of (x) the
         acquisition of Common Shares  pursuant to the Offer or the Merger (each
         as defined in the Vencor Merger Agreement), (y) the execution, delivery
         and performance of the Vencor Merger Agreement, or (z) the consummation
         of the  transactions  contemplated  by the Vencor  Merger  Agreement in
         accordance with the terms thereof."



<PAGE>




                  2.         Amendment  of Section  1(l).   Section 1(l)  of the
Rights Agreement is hereby amended by  adding the following sentence at the  end
thereof:

                  "Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, a
         Distribution  Date shall not be deemed to have  occurred as a result of
         the  announcement or occurrence of (i) the acquisition of Common Shares
         by Vencor or Vencor Sub  pursuant  to the Offer or the Merger  (each as
         defined in the Vencor Merger Agreement),  (ii) the execution,  delivery
         and  performance  of  the  Vencor  Merger   Agreement,   or  (iii)  the
         consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  by the Vencor  Merger
         Agreement in accordance with the terms thereof."

                  3.           Sections  1(gg),  (hh)  and  (ii).  The following
subsections are hereby added after Section 1(ff) of the Rights Agreement:

                 "(gg) "Vencor" shall mean Vencor, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

                  (hh) "Vencor  Merger  Agreement"  shall mean the Agreement and
         Plan of Merger dated as of February 9, 1997 by and among Vencor, Vencor
         Sub and the Company, as it may be amended from time to time.

                  (ii)  "Vencor  Sub"  shall  mean Peach  Acquisition  Corp.,  a
         Delaware  corporation and a wholly-owned  subsidiary of Vencor,  or any
         other  direct or  indirect  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of Vencor that is
         substituted for Vencor Sub pursuant to the Vencor Merger Agreement."

                  4.  Amendment  of  Section  7(a).  Section  7(a) of the Rights
Agreement is hereby  amended by deleting the word "or" before the word "(iv)" in
the tenth line thereof and by adding the  following  words at the end of Section
7(a) "or (v) immediately prior to the Effective Time (as such term is defined in
the Vencor Merger Agreement)."

                  5.   Amendment  of  Section  13.   Section  13  of  the Rights
Agreement  is  hereby  amended  by  adding  the  following  after subsection (d)
thereof:

                  "(e)  Notwithstanding  anything in this  Section 13 or in this
         Agreement to the  contrary,  neither the  acquisition  of Common Shares
         pursuant  to the Offer or the  Merger  (each as  defined  in the Vencor
         Merger Agreement),  nor the execution,  delivery and performance of the
         Vencor  Merger  Agreement  or  the  consummation  of  the  transactions
         contemplated  by the Vencor  Merger  Agreement in  accordance  with the
         terms thereof (each, an "Excluded Transaction"),  shall be deemed to be
         a  transaction  described  in clause (1),  (2) or (3) of Section  13(a)
         hereof and no Excluded Transaction shall cause the

<PAGE>


         Rights to be  adjusted or exercisable  in accordance with  this Section
13."

                  6.           Effectiveness.   This  Amendment  shall be deemed
effective  as  of  the  date  hereof.   Except  as  amended  hereby,  the Rights
Agreement  shall  remain  in  full  force  and  effect  and  shall  be otherwise
unaffected by this Amendment.

                  7.  Miscellaneous.  This  Amendment  shall be  deemed  to be a
contract made under the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall
be  governed  by and  construed  in  accordance  with  the  laws of  such  state
applicable  to contracts to be made and  performed  entirely  within such state.
This  Amendment  may be  executed  in any number of  counterparts,  each of such
counterparts  shall for all purposes be deemed to be an  original,  and all such
counterparts shall together  constitute but one and the same instrument.  If any
provision,  covenant  or  restriction  of this  Amendment  is held by a court of
competent   jurisdiction   or  other   authority  to  be  invalid,   illegal  or
unenforceable,   the   remainder  of  the  terms,   provisions,   covenants  and
restrictions  of this Amendment  shall remain in full force and effect and shall
in no way be effected, impaired or invalidated.



                  [Remainder of page intentionally left blank]



<PAGE>




                  EXECUTED as of the date set forth above.



Attest:                                        THERATX, INCORPORATED


/s/ Jonathan H. Glenn                          /s/  Donald R. Myll
- -------------------------                      ------------------------
Name:  Jonathan H. Glenn                       Name:  Donald R. Myll
Title: Vice President, Counsel                 Title: Senior Vice President and
       and Secretary                                  Chief Financial Officer


Attest:                                        U.S. STOCK TRANSFER CORPORATION


/s/ Enrique Artaza                             /s/ Richard C. Brown
- -------------------------                      ------------------------
Name:  Enrique Artaza                          Name:  Richard C. Brown
Title: Vice President                          Title: Vice President






<PAGE>
Contact:          AT VENCOR:
                  W. Earl Reed, III
                  Executive Vice President and
                   Chief Financial Officer
                   (502) 596-7380

                  AT THERATX:
                  Donald R. Myll
                  Sr. Vice President and
                  Chief Financial Officer
                   (770) 569-1840


                            VENCOR TO ACQUIRE THERATX

                ACQUISITION TO BROADEN VENCOR ANCILLARY SERVICES

LOUISVILLE,  Kentucky (February 10, 1997) Vencor, Inc. (NYSE:VC)  ("Vencor") and
TheraTx,  Incorporated  (Nasdaq/NM:THTX) ("Theratx") jointly announced that they
have  signed a  definitive  merger  agreement  for  Vencor  to  acquire  all the
outstanding shares of TheraTx. Pursuant to the agreement, Vencor will pay $17.10
per share for each outstanding share of TheraTx common stock.  TheraTx currently
has approximately 20.7 million shares of common stock outstanding.

                  The transaction will be a cash tender offer followed by a cash
merger  to  acquire  any  shares  not  previously  tendered.  As a result of the
transaction,  TheraTx  will  become a  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of Vencor.  The
transaction  has been  recommended  by the  Boards of  Directors  of Vencor  and
TheraTx.  Vencor expects to commence its cash tender offer on February 14, 1997.
The cash tender offer is subject to Vencor  receiving at least a majority of the
fully  diluted  shares  of  TheraTx  as  well  as the  receipt  of the  required
regulatory approvals, and is expected to be completed within 90 days.

                 W. Bruce Lunsford, Chief Executive Officer of Vencor, remarked,
"The  acquisition  of TheraTx  will  significantly  broaden  our menu of Vencare
contract   services.   TheraTx   has   successfully   developed   a   range   of
outcomes-oriented   healthcare  services  focused  on  rehabilitation  care  and
occupational  health.  Combining  these services with Vencor's  existing base of
contract  services  will  enable  Vencor  to offer a  comprehensive,  integrated
program of contract  services to healthcare  providers.  The efficiency of these
services will be further  enhanced by TheraTx's  proprietary  TheraSys  clinical
information system which measures clinical outcomes and the clinical  efficiency
of care. By incorporating  TheraSys with our ProTouch system, we will be able to
offer to the Vencare network of over 4,000 nursing homes an integrated ancillary
services information system that is unavailable to the industry today."

                  Lunsford  added,  "This  acquisition  signals  the  successful
completion of our integration of the Hillhaven  acquisition and the beginning of
our  rededication  to the  growth of  Vencor.  TheraTx  has  added  value to the
customers it serves which,  in turn, has led to an impressive  record of growth.
The  inclusion  of TheraTx is expected  to be  accretive  to  earnings  based on
projected  synergies.  We  believe  that  the  strategic  value  as  well as the
operating efficiencies resulting from this

<PAGE>


transaction  will  support  our  plans  to  accelerate Vencor's growth from that
achieved in recent quarters."

                  John A. Bardis,  Chief Executive  Officer of TheraTx,  stated,
"This  merger  creates  the  nation's  premier  integrated   ancillary  services
provider,  and one that is  uniquely  positioned  to  capitalize  on current and
emerging opportunities in post-acute  healthcare.  We believe that this offer is
attractive to our shareholders and that the combination of these two innovative,
outcomes-oriented healthcare companies will benefit our customers,  patients and
employees."

                  TheraTx  combines  an  outcomes-oriented   approach  with  its
proprietary  information systems to provide  cost-effective  quality care in 216
Rehabilitation  Centers of  Excellence,  28 nursing  centers and 16 occupational
health clinics.  For the nine months ended September 30, 1996,  TheraTx reported
revenues of $288.6 million and net income of $17.2  million,  or $0.82 per fully
diluted share.  For the same period,  Vencor reported  revenues of $1.91 billion
and net income of $92.0 million, or $1.30 per fully diluted share.

                  Vencor operates an integrated,  long-term  healthcare  network
consisting  of 38 long-term acute care  hospitals  and 279 nursing  centers,  41
institutional  pharmacies  and,  through  its Atria  Communities  affiliate,  23
independent and assisted living communities.  The Company also provides contract
subacute,  rehabilitation  and  respiratory  therapy  services  to  nursing  and
subacute centers.








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