AmeriPath Home For Healthcare Providers Patient and Consumer Information About Us

 


November 28, 2001
AmeriPath Acquires Dermatopathology Services, P.C. in Alabama

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Gregory A. Marsh Michelle D. Getty Vice President & CFO Investor Relations AmeriPath, Inc. AmeriPath, Inc. 561-712-6211 561-712-6260 E-mail: gmarsh@ameripath.com E-mail: invrel@ameripath.com

AMERIPATH, INC. ACQUIRES DERMATOPATHOLOGY SERVICES, P.C. IN ALABAMA

- Enhances Southeast Region; Adds Dermatopathology Presence - Riviera Beach, FL, November 28, 2001 - AmeriPath, Inc. (Nasdaq: PATH), a leading national provider of cancer diagnostics, genomic, and related information services, today announced the acquisition of Dermatopathology Services, P.C. and Histology Services, Inc., both of Birmingham, Alabama. The acquisition has annualized revenue of approximately $4 million and the laboratory is led by Deborah Sanders, M.D.

Dermatopathology Services, a full service dermatopathology laboratory, and Histology Services employ two dermatopathologists and 13 office and laboratory personnel.

James C. New, Company Chairman and CEO commented, "Dr. Sanders' dermatopathology laboratory and practice have been in operation for 13 years. She brings to AmeriPath an outstanding history of providing quality service and professional medicine unparalleled in the market. This laboratory brings an excellent client base, and it is the Company's intention to expand this presence adding much of the referral network retained after the July 2001 closure of its previous facility. We look forward to great success in Alabama, and expanding services to the Florida panhandle and Louisiana markets."

AmeriPath is a leading national provider of cancer diagnostics, genomic, and related information services. In the first nine months of 2001, AmeriPath diagnosed 2.9 million tissue biopsies, and interpreted 1.6 million Pap smears. The Company's extensive diagnostics infrastructure includes 422 pathologists and doctorate-level scientists providing services to 43 independent pathology laboratories, 237 hospitals, the Center for Advanced Diagnostics (CAD), and Dermpath Diagnostics. CAD provides specialized diagnostic testing and information services including Fluorescence In-Situ Hybridization (FISH), Flow Cytometry, DNA Analysis, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Molecular Genetics, Cytogenetics, and HPV Typing. Dermpath Diagnostics, with 67 board-certified dermatopathologists, is the country's leading provider of dermatopathology services in the growing skin diagnostic testing market. Additionally, AmeriPath provides clinical trial and research and development support to firms involved in developing new cancer and genomic diagnostics and therapeutics.

........................................................................................................................

The statements contained in this press release include "forward-looking statements'' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements - which are sometimes identified by words such as "may", "should", "believe'', "expect'', "anticipate'', "estimate" and similar expressions and which include any financial or operating estimates, forecasts or projections - are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the Company's control. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or from results anticipated by forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include: the extent of success of the Company's operating initiatives and growth strategies; ability to manage growth; access to capital on satisfactory terms; general economic conditions; a possible outbreak of hostilities or war; competition and changes in competitive factors; federal and state healthcare regulation (and compliance); reimbursement rates under government and third party healthcare programs and the payments received under such programs; changes in coding; changes in technology; dependence upon pathologists and customer contracts; the ability to attract, motivate, and retain pathologists; labor and technology costs; marketing and promotional efforts; the availability of pathology practices in appropriate locations that the Company is able to acquire on suitable terms or develop; the successful completion and integration of acquisitions (and achievement of planned or expected synergies); and tax laws. The forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof based on management's current beliefs and expectations, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such statements, whether as result of new developments, new information or otherwise. Further information regarding risks, uncertainties and other factors that could affect the Company's financial or operating results or that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected, estimated or anticipated are included in the Company's annual, quarterly, and other reports and filings with the SEC. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.