[Letterhead of OrNda HealthCorp]

                                                                      Exhibit 5

                                    January 24, 1996



OrNda HealthCorp
3401 West End Avenue
Suite 700
Nashville, TN 37203

     RE:  Registration Statement on Form S-8

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I am Senior Vice President, Secretary  and General Counsel of OrNda
HealthCorp, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and have acted as counsel
to the Company in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the
"Registration Statement") of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Act"), relating to the registration of  3,000,000 shares (the
"Shares") of the Company's common stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common
Stock"), issuable under the OrNda HealthCorp 1994 Management Equity Plan (the
"Plan").

     This opinion is delivered in accordance with the requirements of Item
601(b) (5) of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Act.

     In connection with this opinion, I have reviewed the following documents:

     (a)  the Registration Statement;

     (b)  the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company;

     (c)  the By-laws of the Company;

     (d)  the Plan;

     (e)  certain resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company; and

     (f)  except as set forth below, such other agreements, certificates of
          public officials and officers of the Company, records, documents,
          and matters of law that I deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis
          for the opinions set forth herein.
     
January 22, 1996          
Page 2
          
          
     In my examination:

     (a)  I have assumed that (i) all signatures on all documents examined by
          me are genuine, (ii) all documents submitted to me as originals are
          accurate and complete, (iii) all documents submitted to me as copies
          are true and correct copies of the originals thereof, (iv) all
          information submitted to me is accurate and complete as of the date
          hereof, (v) all persons executing and delivering documents reviewed
          by me were competent to execute and to deliver such documents, and
          (vi) all persons signing, in a representative capacity, documents
          reviewed by me had authority to sign in such capacity.

     (b)  I have assumed that the exercise price of the options in respect of
          Shares issued under the Plan will not be less than the par value of
          such Shares at the time of issuance.

     I am admitted to the bars of the States of Tennessee and New York and I
express no opinion as to the laws of any other jurisdiction except for the
federal laws of the United States of America and the General Corporation law
of the State of Delaware to the extent specifically referred to herein.

     Based upon and subject to the foregoing and to the qualifications,
limitations, and exceptions contained herein, I am of the opinion that:

     1.   The Company is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
under the laws of the State of Delaware.

     2.   The Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued in accordance
with the terms of the Plan, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable.

     I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement. In giving such consent, I do not hereby admit that I
come into the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of
the Act or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
promulgated thereunder.

Very truly yours,



(Signature)
Ronald P. Soltman
Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel