EXHIBIT 99

                                   LIFEPOINT
                                HOSPITALS, INC.



CONTACT:        MICHAEL J. CULOTTA
                SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND
                CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
                (615) 372-8512


                  LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS COMPLETES ACQUISITIONS OF
                     CARRAWAY MEDICAL CENTERS IN ALABAMA AND
                     LOGAN GENERAL HOSPITAL IN WEST VIRGINIA

BRENTWOOD, TENNESSEE (December 2, 2002) - LifePoint Hospitals, Inc.
(NASDAQ:LPNT) today announced that, effective December 1, 2002, it has completed
the previously announced acquisitions of Burdick-West Medical Center in
Haleyville, Alabama; Northwest Medical Center in Winfield, Alabama; and Logan
General Hospital in Logan, West Virginia.

          Burdick-West Medical Center is a 99-bed facility and Northwest Medical
Center is a 71-bed facility. These hospitals were purchased from Methodist
Health System, a not-for-profit company based in Birmingham, Alabama, for
approximately $22 million plus working capital. Annual net revenues for these
two facilities are approximately $38 million.

         Logan General is a 132-bed facility serving Logan and surrounding
communities. LifePoint paid approximately $87.5 million for the hospital and its
affiliated entities, which include Guyan Valley Hospital, a critical access
hospital also located in Logan. Annual net revenues for Logan General and its
affiliated entities are approximately $75 million.

         Kenneth C. Donahey, chairman and chief executive officer of LifePoint
Hospitals, said, "We are pleased to announce the continued expansion of our
LifePoint Hospitals family. We are excited about the opportunity to enter the
West Virginia market with the acquisition of Logan General Hospital and its
affiliated entities. With the Haleyville and Winfield acquisitions, we now have
four facilities in Alabama, including Andalusia Regional Hospital and our recent
acquisition of Russellville Hospital. We intend to build on the excellent
reputations of these hospitals in their local markets and capitalize on their
strong momentum as we expand services and enhance the quality of care delivered
to these communities."

         LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. operates 28 hospitals in non-urban areas. In
most cases, the LifePoint facility is the only hospital in its community.
LifePoint's non-urban operating strategy offers continued operational
improvement by focusing on its five core values: delivering high quality patient
care, supporting physicians, creating excellent workplaces for its employees,
providing community value, and ensuring fiscal responsibility. Headquartered in
Brentwood, Tennessee, LifePoint Hospitals is affiliated with over 7,000
employees.


                                     -MORE-



LPNT Completes Acquisitions in Alabama and West Virginia
Page 3
December 2, 2002




         THE FOREGOING STATEMENTS INCLUDE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS BASED ON
CURRENT MANAGEMENT EXPECTATIONS. NUMEROUS FACTORS EXIST WHICH MAY CAUSE RESULTS
TO DIFFER FROM THESE EXPECTATIONS. MANY OF THE FACTORS THAT WILL DETERMINE THE
COMPANY'S FUTURE RESULTS ARE BEYOND THE ABILITY OF THE COMPANY TO CONTROL OR
PREDICT. THESE STATEMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES RELATING TO THE
COMPANY, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, (I) POSSIBLE CHANGES IN REIMBURSEMENT TO
HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND INSURERS THAT MAY REDUCE PAYMENTS; (II) ITS ABILITY TO
ATTRACT AND RETAIN QUALIFIED MANAGEMENT AND PERSONNEL, INCLUDING PHYSICIANS,
NURSES AND CLINICAL SUPPORT PERSONNEL; (III) THE GEOGRAPHIC CONCENTRATION OF THE
COMPANY'S OPERATIONS; (IV) RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPANY'S ACQUISITION AND
DISPOSITION STRATEGIES; (V) THE MANAGEMENT OF HEALTHCARE RISKS AS A RESULT OF
THE DELIVERY OF PATIENT CARE; (VI) THE REGULATED NATURE OF THE HEALTHCARE
INDUSTRY; (VII) THE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE NATURE OF THE HEALTHCARE BUSINESS; AND
(VIII) THOSE RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES DETAILED FROM TIME TO TIME IN THE COMPANY'S
FILINGS WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THEREFORE, THE COMPANY'S
ACTUAL RESULTS MAY DIFFER MATERIALLY. THE COMPANY UNDERTAKES NO OBLIGATION TO
UPDATE ANY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS, OR TO MAKE ANY OTHER FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS, WHETHER AS A RESULT OF NEW INFORMATION, FUTURE EVENTS OR OTHERWISE.

         ALL REFERENCES TO "COMPANY" AND "LIFEPOINT" AS USED THROUGHOUT THIS
DOCUMENT REFER TO LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC. AND ITS AFFILIATES.


                                      -END-