Exhibit 99

LifePoint Hospitals Signs Definitive Agreement to Purchase Danville Regional
Medical Center

    BRENTWOOD, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 9, 2005--LifePoint
Hospitals, Inc. (NASDAQ:LPNT) today announced that it has signed a
definitive agreement to acquire Danville Regional Medical Center
(DRMC) and related assets in Danville, Virginia. DRMC, a 350-bed
hospital with annual revenues of approximately $180 million, serves
residents of the Dan River Region.
    In commenting on the announcement, Kenneth C. Donahey, president
and chief executive officer of LifePoint Hospitals, said, "We are
pleased to finalize a relationship with Danville Regional Medical
Center, a comprehensive provider of high quality healthcare services
including primary and secondary acute care services as well as open
heart surgery. Upon completion of the transaction, which is expected
following regulatory approval, Danville Regional Medical Center will
be the single largest hospital acquisition by LifePoint to date. We
look forward to working with the medical and administrative staff of
this outstanding hospital to continue the tradition for providing
excellent services to the Dan River Region."
    LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. is a leading hospital company focused on
providing healthcare services in non-urban communities, with 50
hospitals, approximately 5,285 licensed beds and combined revenues of
approximately $1.9 billion in 2004. Of the combined 50 hospitals, 46
are in markets 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 18,000
employees.

    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. For example, such risks, uncertainties, assumptions and
other factors relating to the recent acquisition of Province
Healthcare by LifePoint Hospitals include, without limitation, the
possibility that (1) problems may arise in successfully integrating
the businesses of LifePoint Hospitals and Province Healthcare; (2) the
acquisition may involve unexpected costs; (3) the combined company may
be unable to achieve cost-cutting synergies; (4) the businesses may
suffer as a result of uncertainty surrounding the acquisition; and (5)
the combined company may be subject to future regulatory or
legislative actions. These forward-looking statements are also subject
to other risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, (i)
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; (ii)
the possibility of adverse changes in, and requirements of, applicable
laws, regulations, policies and procedures, including those required
by LifePoint Hospitals' corporate integrity agreement; (iii) the
ability to manage healthcare risks, including malpractice litigation,
and the lack of state and federal tort reform; (iv) the availability,
cost and terms of insurance coverage; (v) the highly competitive
nature of the healthcare business, including the competition to
recruit and retain physicians and other healthcare professionals; (vi)
the ability to attract and retain qualified management and personnel;
(vii) the geographic concentration of LifePoint Hospitals' operations;
(viii) the ability to acquire hospitals on favorable terms; (ix) the
ability to operate and integrate newly acquired facilities
successfully; (x) the availability and terms of capital to fund
LifePoint Hospitals' business strategies; (xi) changes in LifePoint
Hospitals' liquidity or indebtedness; (xii) the potential adverse
impact of government investigations and litigation involving the
business practices of healthcare providers, including whistleblowers
investigations; (xiii) volatility in the market value of LifePoint
Hospitals' common stock; (xiv) changes in general economic conditions
in the markets LifePoint Hospitals serves; (xv) LifePoint Hospitals'
reliance on information technology systems maintained by HCA Inc.;
(xvi) the costs of complying with the Americans With Disabilities Act;
and (xvii) those risks and uncertainties described from time to time
in LifePoint Hospitals' filings with the SEC, including those related
to the acquisition. 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.

    CONTACT: LifePoint Hospitals Inc., Brentwood
             Michael J. Culotta, 615-372-8512