EXHIBIT 99

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                            Contact: Mary Chaput
                                                         Chief Financial Officer
                                                                  (615) 665-1122


                 AMERICAN HEALTHWAYS TO BROADCAST FIRST QUARTER
                      CONFERENCE CALL LIVE ON THE INTERNET


NASHVILLE, Tenn. (December 5, 2002) - American Healthways, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMHC)
today announced it will provide an on-line Web simulcast and rebroadcast of its
first quarter fiscal 2003 earnings release conference call. The Company intends
to issue its first quarter earnings release at approximately 4:15 p.m. ET, and
the call is scheduled to begin at 5:15 p.m. ET on December 19, 2002.

         The live broadcast of American Healthways, Inc.'s quarterly conference
call will be available on-line by going to www.americanhealthways.com and
clicking on the link to Investor Relations, at www.streetevents.com
http://www.streetevents.com, and at www.companyboardroom.com
http://www.companyboardroom.com. The on-line replay will be available shortly
after the call at www.americanhealthways.com and www.streetevents.com through
December 26, 2002. A telephone replay of the call will also be available through
December 26, 2002, at 719-457-0820, confirmation number 750197.

         American Healthways is the nation's leading and largest provider of
specialized, comprehensive care enhancement services to hospitals, physicians
and health plans. In addition, American Healthways is the only company in its
industry whose programs are designed to meaningfully address the needs of 100%
of its customer populations. The clinical excellence of the Company's programs
have been reviewed and approved by Johns Hopkins, and their quality has been
recognized by the National Committee on Quality Assurance, the Joint Commission
on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, and the American Accreditation
Healthcare Commission, the first and only care enhancement provider in the
nation to be accredited or certified by all three organizations. American
Healthways contracts to provide disease and care management programs to health
plans with members in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
The Company also operates diabetes management programs in nearly 80 hospitals
nationwide. Further information about American Healthways and its programs can
be found at www.americanhealthways.com.


                                      -END-



                                            3541 Green Hills Village Drive
                                            Nashville, Tennessee 37215
                                            telephone: 615-665-1122
                                            facsimile: 615-665-7697
                                            www.americanhealthways.com