LifePoint WV S-3ASR Automatic shelf registration

Exhibit 5.17

February 27, 2015

LifePoint Hospitals, Inc.

330 Seven Springs Way

Brentwood, Tennessee 37027

RE:LifePoint Hospitals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”); the “Indenture” (defined below).

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special New Mexico counsel to PHC-Los Alamos, Inc., a New Mexico corporation, and PHC-Las Cruces, Inc., a New Mexico corporation (each is a “New Mexico Guarantor” and together the “New Mexico Guarantors”), in connection with the New Mexico Guarantors’ guarantees (the “Debt Guarantees”) of the debt securities (the “Debt Securities”) to be issued by the Company, pursuant to (i) a form of senior debt securities indenture (the “Senior Notes Indenture”), between the Company and the trustee party thereto or (ii) a form of subordinated debt securities indenture (the “Subordinated Notes Indenture” and, together with the Senior Notes Indenture, the “Indentures” and, each an “Indenture”), between the Company and the trustee party thereto, which were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) as exhibits to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) on February 27, 2015.

1.Documents Reviewed.

For purposes of these opinions we have examined copies of the following documents:

1.1the form of Senior Notes Indenture;

1.2the form of Subordinated Notes Indenture;

1.3the form of the Notes included in the Senior Notes Indenture and the Subordinated Notes Indenture; and

1.4the Registration Statement.

We have also examined:

1.5articles of incorporation of the New Mexico Guarantors as certified by the Secretary of the New Mexico Guarantors by certificate dated February 27, 2015;

1.6bylaws of the New Mexico Guarantors as certified by the Secretary of the New Mexico Guarantors by certificate dated February 27, 2015;

1.7resolutions of the boards of directors of the New Mexico Guarantors, adopted as of February 25, 2015, as certified by the Secretary of the New Mexico Guarantors by certificate dated February 27, 2014.

As to certain matters of fact bearing upon the opinions expressed herein, we have examined and relied on:

1.8Certificates of Good Standing and Compliance dated February 18, 2015, from the Secretary of State of the State of New Mexico as to the existence and good standing in the State of New Mexico of the New Mexico Guarantors (the “New Mexico Certificates”).

We have further made such inquiries and investigations of law as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purpose of rendering these opinions.  We have made no other independent investigation or inquiry except as is stated below.

The documents listed in paragraphs 1.1 through 1.3 above are referred to collectively as the “Transaction Documents.” The documents listed in paragraphs 1.4 through 1.6 above are referred to collectively as the “Organization Documents.”  The documents listed in paragraphs 1.1 through 1.6 are referred to collectively as the “Documents.”  The transaction contemplated by the Transaction Documents is referred to as the “Transaction.” Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined in this letter will have the meanings ascribed to them in the respective Documents.

As used herein, “Applicable New Mexico Laws” means the Business Corporation Act of the State of New Mexico, and those laws, rules and regulations of the State of New Mexico, in each case that, in our experience, are normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated by the Transaction Documents (excluding state securities or blue sky laws, antifraud laws and the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.), but without our having made any special investigation as to the applicability of any specific law, rule or regulation.

2.Opinions.

Based on the foregoing and relying thereon, and subject to the assumptions, exceptions and qualifications set forth below, it is our opinion that:

2.1Each of the New Mexico Guarantors is validly existing under the laws of the State of New Mexico;

2.2Each of the New Mexico Guarantors has the corporate power and authority to guarantee the Debt Securities, pursuant to the terms of the Indentures and perform its obligations under the Debt Guarantees; and

2.3Each of the Debt Guarantees, upon being duly authorized by all necessary corporate action, executed by an authorized signatory and delivered, will be validly authorized, executed and delivered for corporate law purposes by each respective New Mexico Guarantor.

3.Assumptions, Exceptions and Qualifications.

3.1The opinion set forth in paragraph 2.1 is based solely upon the New Mexico Certificates, and is given as of the date of the New Mexico Certificates;

3.2In rendering the opinions set forth above, we have, with your consent, assumed:

3.2.1the certifications of the Secretary of the New Mexico Guarantors in its certificate dated February 27, 2015 are true as of the date of this opinion;

3.2.2the Transaction Documents have been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by each party thereto (except the New Mexico Guarantors) and have been or will be properly acknowledged, where appropriate;

3.2.3the genuineness of signatures not witnessed, the authenticity of any documents submitted as originals and the conformity to originals of documents submitted as copies or drafts;

3.2.4the necessary legal capacity of all natural persons executing the Transaction Documents;

3.2.5the New Mexico Guarantors have paid all income taxes, fines, jeopardy or fraud assessments, and interest, if any are due from it to the State of New Mexico;

3.2.6all parties to the Transaction Documents (other than the New Mexico Guarantors) have the requisite corporate or organizational power and authority to enter into the Transaction Documents and to perform their obligations and be responsible for their liabilities thereunder;

3.2.7the Transaction Documents accurately and completely describe and contain the parties’ mutual intent, understanding and business purposes, and there are no oral or written statements, agreements, understandings or negotiations, nor any usage of trade or course of prior dealing among the parties, that directly or indirectly modify, define, amend, supplement or vary, or purport to do so, any of the terms of the Transaction Documents or any of the parties’ rights or obligations thereunder, by waiver or otherwise;

3.2.8there will be no interest, charges, fees or other benefits or compensation in the nature of interest paid by or charged to the New Mexico Guarantors in connection with the Transaction other than those that the New Mexico Guarantors have agreed (or, as to obligations guaranteed pursuant to the Guaranty Agreement, the Company has agreed) to pay, in writing, in the Transaction Documents;

3.2.9we have assumed the accuracy of, and relied upon, the representations and warranties as to matters of fact made in the Documents by the New Mexico Guarantors and other parties thereto; and

3.2.10we have assumed that the Company and each of the Guarantors (other than the New Mexico Guarantors) has been duly organized and is validly existing in good standing, and has requisite legal status and legal capacity, under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization and that each of the Company and the Guarantors (other than the New Mexico Guarantors) has complied and will comply with all aspects of the laws of all relevant jurisdictions (including the laws of its jurisdiction of organization) in connection with the transactions contemplated by, and the performance of its obligations under, the Transaction Documents, other than the laws of the State of New Mexico insofar as we express our opinions herein.

3.3The opinions set forth above are subject to the following exceptions and qualifications:

3.3.1We are expressing no opinion as to the enforceability of the Transaction Documents;

3.3.2we do not purport to express any opinion concerning any laws other than the laws of the State of New Mexico.  Although certain members of this firm are admitted to practice in other states, we have not examined the laws of any state other than the State of New Mexico nor have we consulted with members of this firm who are admitted in other jurisdictions with respect to the laws of such jurisdictions; and

3.3.3                ��    the opinions in this letter are limited in all respects to the laws of the State of New Mexico now in effect, to the matters set forth herein and as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to revise or supplement these opinions should any such law be changed by legislative action, judicial decision or otherwise.

4.We hereby consent to reliance on this opinion letter and the opinions provided herein by the law firm White & Case LLP in connection with the legal opinion provided by that law firm that is included as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.  Additionally, we hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus, which is part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Very Truly Yours,

/s/ LEWIS ROCA ROTHGERGER LLP