Exhibit 23(a)

                     CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" in the
Registration Statement (Form S-3) and related Prospectus of OrNda HealthCorp
for the registration of 140,000 shares of its common stock and to the
incorporation by reference therein of our report dated October 10, 1995 (except
for paragraph 7 of Note 6 and paragraph 9 of Note 8, as to which the dates are
October 27, 1995 and October 31, 1995, respectively), with respect to the
consolidated financial statements and schedule of OrNda HealthCorp included in
its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended August 31, 1995, filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission.


                             /s/ Ernst & Young LLP                    
                             Ernst & Young LLP


Nashville, Tennessee
January 25, 1996