EXHIBIT 4.1 SPECIMEN STOCK CERTIFICATE [NUMBER] LIFEPOINT [SHARES] COMMON STOCK HOSPITALS, INC. CUSIP 53219L 10 9 $.01 PAR VALUE SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE THIS CERTIFICATE IS TRANSFERABLE IN CLEVELAND, OH THIS CERTIFIES THAT __________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ is the owner of ______________________________________________________________ FULLY PAID AND NON-ASSESSABLE SHARES OF THE COMMON STOCK, $.01 PAR VALUE PER SHARE, OF ========================== LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC ========================== transferable in person or by duly authorized attorney on the books of the Corporation upon surrender of this certificate properly endorsed. This certificate and the shares represented hereby are issued and shall be held subject to the laws of the State of Delaware and the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and the By-laws of the Corporation, as amended from time to time, to which the holder by acceptance hereof assents. This certificate is not valid until countersigned by the Transfer Agent and registered by the Registrar. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this certificate to be signed by the facsimile signatures of its duly authorized officers, and a facsimile of its corporate seal hereunto affixed. DATED: /s/ William F. Carpenter III /s/ Scott L. Mercy Secretary [SEAL] Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Countersigned and Registered National City Bank (Cleveland, Ohio) Transfer Agent and Registrar Authorized Officer LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC. STOCKHOLDERS MAY OBTAIN, WIHTOUT CHARGE, A FULL STATEMENT OF THE DESIGNATIONS, PREFERENCES, RIGHTS, POWERS, RESTRICTIONS, LIMITATIONS, QUALIFICATIONS AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE STOCK OF EACH CLASS AND OF EACH SERIES AUTHORIZED TO BE ISSUED BY THE CORPORATION BY WRITTEN REQUEST TO THE SECRETARY OF LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC. THIS CERTIFICATE ALSO EVIDENCES AND ENTITLES THE HOLDER HEREOF TO CERTAIN RIGHTS AS SET FORTH IN A RIGHTS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CORPORATION AND THE RIGHTS AGENT THEREUNDER (THE "RIGHTS AGREEMENT"), THE TERMS OF WHICH ARE HEREBY INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE AND A COPY OF WHICH IS ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICES OF THE CORPORATION. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, SUCH RIGHTS WILL BE EVIDENCED BY SEPARATE CERTIFICATES AND WILL NO LONGER BE EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE. THE CORPORATION WILL MAIL TO THE HOLDER OF THIS CERTIFICATE A COPY OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT WITHOUT CHARGE AFTER RECEIPT OF A WRITTEN REQUEST THEREFOR. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS ISSUED TO ANY PERSON WHO BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT), INCLUDING SUCH RIGHTS HELD BY A SUBSEQUENT HOLDER, MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this Certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations: TEN COM - as tenants in common TEN ENT - as tenants by the entireties JT TEN - as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common UNIF GIFT MIN ACT- ____________ Custodian ________________ (Cust) (Minor) under, Uniform Gifts to Minors Act ___________________________________ State UNIF TRAN MIN ACT- ____________ Custodian ________________ (Cust) (Minor) under, Uniform Transfers to Minors Act ___________________________________ State Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list. For value received, _____________________ hereby sell, assign and transfer unto PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE _________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS INCLUDING POSTAL ZIP CODE OF ASSIGNEE ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________Shares of the capital stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _____________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ Attorney to transfer the said stock on the books of the within-named Corporation with full power of substitution in the premises. Dated, ____________________________________________ X_______________________________________________________________________________ NOTICE: THE SIGNATURE(S) TO THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE NAME AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE, IN EVERY PARTICULAR, WITHOUT ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT, OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER. THIS SIGNAURES(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION, (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMEBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15. SIGNATURE(S) GUARANTEED: KEEP THIS CERTIFICATE IN A SAFE PLACE, IF LOST, STOLEN, MUTILTATED OR DESTROYED, THE CORPORATION WILL REQUIRE A BOND OF INDEMNITY AS A CONDITION TO THE ISSUANCE OF A REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATE.