EXHIBIT 99.1


                           LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC.

CONTACT:    MICHAEL J. CULOTTA
            CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
            (615) 372-8512

          LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC. OBTAINS ADDITIONAL SENIOR FINANCING

BRENTWOOD, TENNESSEE (August 23, 2005) - LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. ("LifePoint
Hospitals") (NASDAQ: LPNT) today announced that it has exercised its right under
its existing senior credit agreement dated April 15, 2005, by and among Citicorp
North America, Inc., as administrative agent, and the lenders party thereto (the
"Credit Agreement") to increase the availability of term loans thereunder by up
to $150,000,000 and has borrowed $150,000,000 in the form of the incremental
term loans thereunder. The proceeds of these incremental term loans will be used
for general corporate purposes including repayment of revolving loans incurred
under the Credit Agreement to finance the acquisition of Danville Regional
Medical Center.

         LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. is a leading hospital company focused on
providing healthcare services in non-urban communities. Of the Company's 52
hospitals, 49 are in communities where LifePoint Hospitals is the sole community
hospital provider. LifePoint Hospitals' 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 approximately 19,000 employees.

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Important Legal Information
         This release includes 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
LifePoint Hospitals' future results are beyond LifePoint Hospitals' ability to
control or predict with accuracy. Such forward-looking statements reflect the
current expectations and beliefs of the management of LifePoint Hospitals, are
not guarantees of performance of LifePoint Hospitals, and are subject to a
number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause
actual results to differ from those described in the forward-looking statements.
These forward-looking statements are also subject to other risks and
uncertainties, including, without limitation, (i) the possibility that problems
may arise in successfully integrating the businesses of LifePoint Hospitals and
Province and achieving cost-cutting synergies; (ii) reduction in payments to
healthcare providers by government and commercial third-party payors, as well as
changes in the manner in which employers provide healthcare coverage to their
employees; (iii) the possibility of adverse changes in, and requirements of,
applicable laws, regulations, policies and procedures, including those required
by LifePoint Hospitals' corporate integrity agreement; (iv) the ability to
manage healthcare risks, including malpractice litigation, and the lack of state
and federal tort reform; (v) the availability, cost and terms of insurance
coverage; (vi) the highly competitive nature of the healthcare business,
including the competition to recruit and retain physicians and other healthcare
professionals; (vii) the ability to attract and retain qualified management and
personnel; (viii) the geographic concentration of LifePoint Hospitals'
operations; (ix) the ability to acquire hospitals on favorable terms and
complete budgeted capital improvements successfully; (x) the ability to operate
and integrate newly acquired facilities successfully; (xi) the availability and
terms of capital to fund LifePoint Hospitals' business strategies; (xii) changes
in LifePoint Hospitals' liquidity or the amount or terms of its indebtedness and
in its credit ratings; (xiii) the potential adverse impact of government
investigations and litigation involving the business practices of healthcare
providers, including whistleblowers investigations; (xiv) changes in or
interpretations of generally accepted accounting principles or practices; (xv)
volatility in the market value of LifePoint Hospitals' common stock; (xvi)
changes in general economic conditions in the markets LifePoint Hospitals
serves; (xvii) LifePoint Hospitals' reliance on information technology systems
maintained by HCA Inc.; (xviii) the costs of complying with the Americans with
Disabilities Act; (xix) LifePoint Hospitals' ability to comply with all aspects
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and regulations promulgated thereunder; and (xx) those
risks and uncertainties described from time to time in LifePoint Hospitals'
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Therefore, LifePoint
Hospitals' future results may differ materially from those described in this
release. LifePoint Hospitals 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 "LifePoint Hospitals" as used throughout this release
refer to LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. and its affiliates.


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