26 March 2001

Delmar Partners with Alternative Link Systems, Inc.

Partnership to Result in New Coding and Billing Products for Nurses and Complementary & Alternative Medicine Providers

Albany, NY — March 26, 2001 — Delmar, a division of Thomson Learning and a leader in educational resources for lifelong learning, today announced a strategic partnership with Alternative Link Systems, Inc., a pioneering coding and software development company based in Las Cruces, NM. Together Delmar and Alternative Link Systems, Inc. will publish The CAM & Nursing Coding Manual, The State Legal Guide to Complementary & Alternative Medicine and Nursing, and The State Legal Guide to Nursing. Used in conjunction with the patented ABC codes developed by Alternative Link Systems, these new references make reimbursement for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and nursing a reality.

Alternative Link Systems has spent the last six years developing the ABC coding system and tying the codes to the procedures allowed under state scope of practice laws for 13 licensed providers. The company has developed and patented the only medical billing and claims processing system designed exclusively for alternative medicine. The ABC codes are compatible with mainstream medical billing systems and enable health plans, healthcare clearinghouses, and healthcare providers to process all electronic transactions that require codes for filing alternative medicine or independent nursing services. The codes trigger claims edits inside the CAM-Net M.I.S.™ system. The system is designed to add rules to software systems that are already broadly used to process conventional health care claims. The ABC coding system is currently under review by the Department of Health and Human Services as a future electronic standard for processing health care claims.

Forty-two percent of Americans currently use some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and that number is growing every year. Health plans, hospitals, and private insurers have been scrambling to meet this growing public demand by incorporating CAM into health care benefits. In fact, a 1999 survey of one-fourth of all managed health care organizations conducted by Landmark Healthcare found that 65% offered some form of alternative medicine, usually a list of CAM providers who will honor discounts. However, it has been nearly impossible for CAM providers to manage insurance reimbursement for their services, without a standardized claims processing and payment system.

"As one of the leading providers of educational products and services for lifelong learning, Delmar is always keeping a sharp eye on the market and working with customers to satisfy new market demands," commented Greg Burnell, president and CEO of Delmar. "Alternative Link is leading the field for alternative medicine and nursing billing and coding, and we're thrilled to be working with them to make these new products a reality."

"The ABC Codes are built upon our firm belief that this system greatly improves the entrance of CAM and expanded nursing services into mainstream health care," said Melinna Giannini, President & CEO, Alternative Link Systems, Inc. "We're happy to be working with Delmar to produce these billing and coding references and look forward to providing the market with the tools to help make reimbursement for CAM a reality."

The State Legal Guide to Complementary & Alternative Medicine and Nursing is a baseline reference tool designed specifically to meet the legal requirements of the health insurance industry. It defines what specific services each CAM practitioner or nurse is allowed to perform within each state. Practitioner types include: acupuncturists or Oriental medicine doctors, doctors of chiropractic, doctors of osteopathy, massage therapists, medical doctors, naturopathic doctors, registered midwives, certified nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, practical nurses, physician assistants, and physical therapists.

The state laws that govern nursing scope of practice are rapidly changing. The State Legal Guide to Nursing now offers hospitals, insurers, long term care facilities, community health care clinics, nurses and doctors an easy-to-use reference tool to identify which services can be provided by five distinctly licensed nurse types. This reference tool also provides the detail necessary to develop appropriate nursing care paths, whether a nurse is in private practice or providing services in a hospital, nursing home or clinical setting.

The CAM & Nursing Coding Manual is an integral component of the ground-breaking ABC coding system. Features of this manual include: a detailed explanation of how the ABC codes are structured and used; step-by-step instructions on using the codes with the HCFA 1500; and sections on clinical practice charges, multi specialty treatments, practice specialties, laboratory and in-office procedures, supplies, nutritional supplements, herbs and botanicals, homeopathic preparations and nursing services.

The State Legal Guide to Complementary & Alternative Medicine and Nursing and The State Legal Guide to Nursing will be available at the end of March. The CAM & Nursing Coding Manual will be available in June. These three titles address the growing market need of complementary and alternative medicine and together with the ABC Codes from Alternative Link Systems will make great strides in streamlining and standardizing CAM and advanced nurses' coding and billing.

About Delmar ( www.delmar.com ) is a leading provider of lifelong learning products and services for the health care, technology and trades, and career education markets. Delmar’s market-leading imprints include Autodesk Press, OnWord Press, Singular Publishing Group, Milady and West Legal Studies. Delmar is a division of Thomson Learning ( www.thomsonlearning.com ), one of the world's largest providers of lifelong learning information. Thomson Learning serves the needs of individuals, learning institutions and corporations with products and services for both traditional and distributed learning. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, with multiple offices worldwide, Thomson Learning is a division of The Thomson Corporation. The Thomson Corporation ( www.thomsonlearning.com ) with 2000 revenues of approximately $6.0 billion, is a leading, global e-information and solutions company in the business and professional marketplace. The Corporation's common shares are listed on the Toronto and London stock exchanges (TSE:TOC).