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              TEXT OF PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY OMNICARE, INC.
                   AND THE COMPANY DATED AUGUST 8, 1997

                                                   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

     AMERICAN MEDSERVE CORPORATION ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION BY OMNICARE

   NAPERVILLE, ILLINOIS, AND CINCINNATI, OHIO, AUGUST 8, 1997
 ... American Medserve Corporation (NASDAQ: AMCI) and Omnicare, Inc.
(NYSE: OCR) today announced the execution of a definitive merger agreement 
pursuant to which Omnicare will acquire for cash all of the outstanding 
shares of American Medserve Corporation.

   Under terms of the agreement, a wholly owned subsidiary of Omnicare will 
commence a cash tender offer of $18.00 per share for all of the outstanding 
shares of American Medserve Corporation, representing a purchase price of 
approximately $222.6 million. Additionally, Omnicare will assume American 
Medserve Corporation's liabilities, including long-term debt of approximately 
$11.6 million. The acquisition will be accounted for as a purchase 
transaction. Given the economies of scale and cost synergies anticipated from 
the merger, the acquisition of American Medserve Corporation is expected to 
be non-dilutive to Omnicare's earnings per share in 1997 and accretive in 
1998.

   American Medserve Corporation, based in Naperville, Illinois, provides 
comprehensive pharmacy and related services to approximately 51,400 residents 
in 720 long-term care facilities in 11 states. Additionally, American 
Medserve Corporation is a joint venture partner with an affiliate of The 
Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, which ranks as the nation's  
fifth-largest nursing home operator, serving 27,000 residents. Based on 
revenues reported for the quarter ended March 31, 1997, American Medserve 
Corporation's annualized revenues are approximately $144.0 million.

   The transaction, which has been approved by the boards of directors of 
both Omnicare and American Medserve Corporation, is

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subject to the tender of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of 
American Medserve Corporation on a fully diluted basis, customary regulatory 
approval and the satisfaction of certain other conditions. The tender offer 
will commence within five business days and will remain open for 20 business 
days, unless extended. Following the consummation of the tender offer, 
Omnicare will acquire any of the remaining outstanding shares of American 
Medserve Corporation in a cash merger transaction valued at $18.00 per share.

   With the completion of this acquisition, Omnicare will provide pharmacy 
and related consulting services to approximately 413,000 residents in over 
5,100 long-term care facilities in 35 states. Based on revenues for the 
quarter ended June 30, 1997, Omnicare's annualized revenues, following the 
transaction, will be in excess of $950.0 million.

   "We believe the combination of Omnicare and American Medserve Corporation, 
two companies recognized as leading consolidators in the institutional 
pharmacy industry, will create a dynamic organization with the resources, 
clinical programs and pharmacy management experience necessary to capitalize 
on the major growth opportunities in geriatric pharmaceutical care," said
Joel F. Gemunder, Omnicare president.

   "The addition of American Medserve Corporation will significantly expand
Omnicare's core business of providing high-quality pharmaceutical care to the 
nation's elderly and will create economies of scale that allow both of our 
organizations to operate more efficiently," he said.

   The acquisition of American Medserve Corporation will mark Omnicare's 
entry into six new states and will broaden Omnicare's network of existing 
pharmacies in five other states, including Illinois, Pennsylvania and New 
York, which rank among the nation's largest in terms of nursing home 
population.

   "American Medserve Corporation has built a well-managed group of 
entrepreneurial pharmacy operations and has developed important strategic 
alliances, including its partnership with The Evangelical Lutheran Good 
Samaritan Society. We look forward to the opportunity to bring our broad 
array of clinical programs, including the Omnicare GERIATRIC PHARMACEUTICAL 
CARE GUIDELINES-R-.

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to American Medserve Corporation's pharmacy operations and their client 
nursing facilities. Together, we can provide the basis for outstanding 
geriatric pharmaceutical care in the most cost-effective manner," Mr. 
Gemunder concluded.

   "American Medserve Corporation and Omnicare have become strong, successful 
long-term care providers by meeting the increasingly complex needs of their 
client facilities with innovative services, and this transaction will provide 
both organizations with the resources to expand those programs even further," 
said Timothy L. Burfield, American Medserve Corporation president and chief 
executive officer.

   "We also believe this agreement provides our shareholders with an 
attractive value for their investment in our company," Mr. Burfield said.

   Omnicare is a leading independent provider of professional pharmacy and 
related consulting services for long-term care facilities such as nursing 
homes, retirement centers and other institutional health care facilities. 
Omnicare currently provides pharmacy and related consulting services to 
approximately 361,400 residents in over 4,400 long-term care facilities.



(STATEMENTS IN THIS PRESS RELEASE CONCERNING OMNICARE'S AND AMERICAN MEDSERVE 
CORPORATION'S BUSINESS OUTLOOK OR FUTURE ECONOMIC PERFORMANCES, ANTICIPATED 
PROFITABILITY, REVENUES, EXPENSES OR OTHER FINANCIAL ITEMS, ANTICIPATED COST 
SYNERGIES, ECONOMIES OF SCALE AND PRODUCT OR SERVICE LINE GROWTH, TOGETHER 
WITH OTHER STATEMENTS THAT ARE NOT HISTORICAL FACTS, ARE FORWARD-LOOKING 
STATEMENTS THAT ARE ESTIMATES REFLECTING THE BEST JUDGMENT OF OMNICARE AND 
AMERICAN MEDSERVE CORPORATION BASED ON CURRENTLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION. SUCH 
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS INVOLVE RISKS, UNCERTAINTIES AND OTHER FACTORS 
THAT COULD CAUSE RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE STATED. THESE 
INCLUDE TRENDS FOR THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF THE PHARMACY BUSINESSES OF 
OMNICARE AND AMERICAN MEDSERVE CORPORATION, THE REALIZATION OF ANTICIPATED 
REVENUES, PROFITABILITY AND COST SYNERGIES OF THE COMBINED COMPANIES, AND 
OTHER RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES DESCRIBED IN OMNICARE'S AND AMERICAN MEDSERVE 
CORPORATION'S REPORTS AND FILINGS WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE 
COMMISSION. THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCE THAT SUCH FACTORS WILL NOT AFFECT THE 
ACCURACY OF



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SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS, AND NEITHER OMNICARE NOR AMERICAN MEDSERVE 
CORPORATION ASSUMES ANY OBLIGATION TO UPDATE THE INFORMATION IN THIS RELEASE.)



                                  # # #

AMERICAN MEDSERVE CORPORATION:                OMNICARE CONTACTS:
Charles R. Wallace                            Cheryl D. Hodges
(630) 717-2904                                (513) 762-6967
                                                     or
                                              Gary L. Rhodes
                                              (513) 762-6660











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