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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 9, 1993                   TAG: 9303090131
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE                                LENGTH: Short

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WYTHE HOSPITAL WOOING HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER

Wythe County Community Hospital is trying to persuade the Southwest Virginia Area Health Education Center, now considering sites for its operations in this part of the state, to choose Wytheville.

The hospital has offered the center use of a new educational room and about 1,500 square feet of office space in the nearby Wythe-Bland Medical Office Building. The hospital would supply administrative support and use of office equipment.

The conjunction of Interstates 77 and 81 provides access from all directions, said Howard Ainsley, the hospital's chief executive officer. He noted that Wytheville is about 135 miles from both Jonesville and Covington, the farthest points of the center's Southwest Virginia region.

Support for a Wytheville location has also come from Wytheville Community College, the Wytheville-Wythe-Bland Chamber of Commerce and the town of Wytheville.

Wytheville Community College President William Snyder has offered meeting space and use of audio-visual equipment to the organization.

Carilion Health System, which manages the hospital, is offering support services including telecommunications, videos and computer-access library services.

- Southwest bureau

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