Exhibit 11

                 GENESIS HEALTH VENTURES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                 STATEMENT RE COMPUTATION OF EARNINGS PER SHARE
                    QUARTERS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996 AND 1995
                 (in thousands, except share and per share data)



                                                                          December 31,           December 31,
                                                                             1996                    1995
                                                                       ------------------      -----------------
                                                                                          
Primary Earnings Per Share:
        Reported earnings before debenture conversion
             expense and extraordinary item                             $    11,508             $      6,556
        Debenture conversion expense, net of tax                               -                        (698)
        Extraordinary item, net of tax                                         (553)                     -
                                                                       ------------------      -----------------
        Reported net income                                             $    10,955             $      5,858
                                                                       ------------------      -----------------

        Weighted average shares & CSE's:                                 34,219,921               23,801,866

        Primary EPS before debenture conversion
             expense and extraordinary item                             $      0.34             $       0.27
        Primary EPS - debenture conversion expense                             -                       (0.02)
        Primary EPS - extraordinary item, net of tax                          (0.02)                     -
                                                                       ------------------      -----------------
        Primary EPS - Net income                                        $      0.32             $       0.25
                                                                       ==================      =================

Fully Diluted Earnings Per Share:
        Reported earnings before debenture  conversion
              expense and extraordinary item                            $    11,508             $      6,556
        Debenture conversion expense, net of tax                               -                        (698)
        Extraordinary item, net of tax                                         (553)                     -
                                                                       ------------------      -----------------
        Reported net income                                             $    10,955             $      5,858
                                                                       ------------------      -----------------

        Adjustments to net income

          Interest expense, amortization and other costs
             related to the assumed conversion of the
             convertible debentures, net of tax                                 304                      788
                                                                       ------------------      -----------------
        Adjusted net income                                             $    11,259             $      6,646
                                                                       ------------------      -----------------

        Weighted average shares & CSE's:
             Common shares                                               34,219,921               23,801,866
             Additional option shares                                       144,477                  167,544
             Convertible debenture shares                                 1,746,205                4,699,418
                                                                       ------------------      -----------------
        Total                                                            36,110,603               28,668,828
                                                                       ------------------      -----------------

        Fully diluted EPS before debenture conversion
             expense and extraordinary item                             $      0.33             $       0.25
        Fully diluted EPS - debenture conversion expense                       -                       (0.02)
        Fully diluted EPS - extraordinary item, net of tax                    (0.02)                     -
                                                                       ------------------      -----------------
        Fully diluted EPS - Net income                                  $      0.31             $       0.23
                                                                       ==================      =================