Exhibit 5.1

                                 October 9, 2002

Triad Hospitals, Inc.
13455 Noel Road, Suite 2000
Dallas, Texas 75240

               Re:  Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

               We have acted as counsel to Triad Hospitals, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the registration under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") of the following
securities with an aggregate initial public offering price of up to
$800,000,000: (i) common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company
("Common Stock"); (ii) one or more classes or series of preferred stock, par
value $0.01 per share, of the Company ("Preferred Stock"), interests in which
may be represented by depositary shares of the Company ("Depositary Shares");
(iii) one or more series of debt securities of the Company ("Debt Securities"),
consisting of debentures, notes and/or other evidences of indebtedness, which
may be unsubordinated ("Senior Debt Securities") or subordinated ("Subordinated
Debt Securities") to certain other obligations of the Company; (iv) guarantees,
if any, of the Debt Securities by certain of the Company's subsidiaries (the
"Guarantees" and, such subsidiaries, the "Subsidiary Guarantors"); (v) warrants
to purchase Securities (as hereinafter defined) of the Company ("Warrants");
(vi) purchase contracts obligating holders to purchase Securities (as
hereinafter defined) at a future date or dates ("Purchase Contracts"); and (vii)
units comprised of one or more Securities (as hereinafter defined) in any
combination ("Units," and together with the Common Stock, Preferred Stock,
Depositary Shares, Debt Securities, Guarantees, Warrants and Purchase Contracts,
"Securities").

               The Senior Debt Securities will be issued under a senior debt
securities indenture in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement"), as amended or supplemented
from time to time (the "Senior Indenture"), proposed to be entered into between
the Company and one or more trustees chosen by the Company and qualified to act
as such under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "TIA") (any such
trustee, the "Senior Indenture Trustee"). The Subordinated Debt Securities will
be issued under a subordinated debt securities indenture in the form filed as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented from time to
time (the "Subordinated Indenture"), proposed to be entered into between the
Company and one or more trustees chosen by the Company and qualified to act as
such under the TIA (any such trustee, the "Subordinated Indenture Trustee"). The
Senior Indenture and the Subordinated Indenture are sometimes hereinafter
referred to individually as an "Indenture" and collectively as the "Indentures."
The Warrants will be issued under a warrant agreement in a form that will be
filed as an exhibit to a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement
or incorporated by reference therein (a "Warrant Agreement"). The Purchase
Contracts will be issued under a purchase contract agreement in a form that will
be filed as an exhibit to a post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement or incorporated by reference therein (a "Purchase Contract
Agreement").



Triad Hospitals, Inc.
October 9, 2002
Page 2

The Units will be issued under a unit agreement in a form that will be filed as
an exhibit to a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or
incorporated by reference therein (a "Unit Agreement").

               This opinion is delivered in accordance with the requirements of
Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.

               We have examined (i) the Registration Statement; (ii) the form of
Senior Indenture; (iii) the form of Subordinated Indenture; (iv) the Certificate
of Incorporation of the Company, as amended and currently in effect (the
"Certificate of Incorporation"); (v) the By-laws of the Company as currently in
effect (the "By-laws"); and (vi) the resolutions adopted by the Board of
Directors of the Company (the "Board") relating to the Registration Statement
and the issuance of the Securities (the "Board Resolutions"). We also have
examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our
satisfaction, of such certificates of officers or other representatives of the
Company, and such other agreements, documents, certificates and records as we
have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions set forth
herein.

               In our examination, we have assumed the legal capacity of all
natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all
documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of
all documents submitted to us as certified, conformed or photostatic copies and
the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents. In making our
examination of documents executed by parties other than the Company and the
Subsidiary Guarantors organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, we have
assumed that such parties had the legal power to enter into and perform all
their obligations thereunder and also have assumed the due authorization by all
requisite action, corporate or other, and execution and delivery by such parties
of such documents and the validity and binding effect thereof. As to any facts
material to the opinions expressed herein which were not independently
established or verified, we have relied upon oral or written statements and
representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others.

               In our capacity as your counsel in connection with the
Registration Statement, we are familiar with the proceedings taken and proposed
to be taken by the Company in connection with the Registration Statement and the
authorization and issuance of the Securities. For purposes of this opinion, we
have assumed that such proceedings will be timely and properly completed, in
accordance with all requirements of applicable Federal, New York and Delaware
laws, in the manner presently proposed.

               Based upon the foregoing and in reliance thereon, and subject to
the qualifications and limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:

               1.    With respect to any offering of Common Stock (the "Offered
Common Stock"), the shares of the Offered Common Stock (including any Offered
Common Stock duly issued upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any other
Securities) will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable, provided that the consideration therefor is not less than the par
value thereof.

               2.    With respect to any offering of any series of Preferred
Stock (the "Offered Preferred Stock"), when the Certificate of Designations (as
hereinafter defined) has been duly filed with the Secretary of State of the
State of Delaware, the shares of the Offered Preferred



Triad Hospitals, Inc.
October 9, 2002
Page 3

Stock (including any Offered Preferred Stock duly issued upon conversion,
exchange or exercise of any other Securities), will be duly authorized, validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable, provided that the consideration therefor
is not less than the par value thereof.

               3.   With respect to any offering of any series of Depositary
Shares (the "Offered Depositary Shares"), when (i) the deposit agreement
relating to the Offered Depositary Shares (the "Deposit Agreement") in the form
filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement has been duly executed and
delivered as contemplated by the Board Resolutions or other action by the Board
or a duly appointed committee thereof; and (ii) the Preferred Stock which is
represented by the Offered Depositary Shares is duly authorized, validly issued
and delivered to the Depositary in accordance with the laws of the State of
Delaware, (a) the Offered Depositary Shares will be valid and binding
obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with
their terms and (b) when the receipts evidencing the Offered Depositary Shares
("Receipts") are duly issued against the deposit of the Preferred Stock in
accordance with the Deposit Agreement, such Receipts will be validly issued and
will entitle the holders thereof to the rights specified therein and in the
Deposit Agreement.

               4.   With respect to any offering of any series of Debt
Securities offered under the Senior Indenture or the Subordinated Indenture (the
"Offered Debt Securities"), when (i) the applicable Indenture has been qualified
under the TIA and duly executed and delivered by the Company; and (ii) the
applicable trustee has been qualified under the TIA and a Form T-1 has been
properly filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, the Offered Debt
Securities (including any Offered Debt Securities duly issued upon conversion,
exchange or exercise of any other Securities) will be valid and binding
obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with
their terms.

               5.   With respect to any offering of any Guarantees of any series
of Debt Securities offered under the Senior Indenture or the Subordinated
Indenture (the "Offered Guarantees"), when (i) the applicable Indenture has been
qualified under the TIA and duly executed and delivered by the Company and the
Subsidiary Guarantors; and (ii) the applicable trustee has been qualified under
the TIA and a Form T-1 has been properly filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement, the Offered Guarantees will be valid and binding obligations of the
applicable Subsidiary Guarantors, enforceable against the applicable Subsidiary
Guarantors in accordance with their terms.

               6.   With respect to any offering of any series of Warrants (the
"Offered Warrants"), when the Warrant Agreement relating to the Offered
Warrants, in the form to be filed as an exhibit to a post-effective amendment to
the Registration Statement or incorporated by reference therein, has been duly
executed and delivered as contemplated by the Board Resolutions or other action
by the Board or a duly appointed committee thereof, the Offered Warrants will be
valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with their terms.

               7.   With respect to any offering of Purchase Contracts (the
"Offered Purchase Contracts"), when the Purchase Contract Agreement, in the form
to be filed as an exhibit to a post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement or incorporated by reference therein, has been duly executed and
delivered as contemplated by the Board Resolutions or other action by the Board
or a duly appointed committee thereof, the Offered Purchase Contracts will



Triad Hospitals, Inc.
October 9, 2002
Page 4

be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company
in accordance with their terms.

               8.   With respect to any offering of any series of Units (the
"Offered Units"), when the Unit Agreement relating to the Offered Units, in the
form to be filed as an exhibit to a post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement or incorporated by reference therein, has been duly executed and
delivered as contemplated by the Board Resolutions or other action by the Board
or a duly appointed committee thereof, the Offered Units will be valid and
binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with their terms.


               The opinions set forth herein are subject to the following
assumptions, qualifications, limitations and exceptions being true and correct
at or prior to the time of the delivery of any Securities offered pursuant to
the Registration Statement (collectively, the "Offered Securities"): (i) the
Board, including any appropriate committee appointed thereby, and appropriate
officers of the Company shall have duly established the terms of the Offered
Securities; (ii) the board of directors, including any appropriate committee
appointed thereby, and appropriate officers of the Company and, with respect to
any Guarantees, the Subsidiary Guarantors, shall have duly authorized and taken
any other necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and sale of the
Offered Securities and related matters (including without limitation with
respect to Offered Preferred Stock, the execution, acknowledgment and filing of
a Certificate of Designations (the "Certificate of Designations") in accordance
with the applicable provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware) and such authorizations and actions have not been rescinded; (iii) the
terms of the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities have been duly
established in conformity with the certificates of incorporation or
organization, by-laws and other similar formation documents of the Company and
any applicable Subsidiary Guarantors (collectively, the "Formation Documents"),
any Deposit Agreement, Indenture, Warrant Agreement, Purchase Contract or Unit
Agreement (collectively, the "Applicable Agreements"), and any other relevant
agreement so as not to violate any applicable law, the Formation Documents
(subject to the further assumption that such Formation Documents have not been
amended from the date hereof in a manner that would affect the validity of any
of the opinions rendered herein), or result in a default under or breach of any
agreement or instrument binding upon the Company or any applicable Subsidiary
Guarantor and so as to comply with any restriction imposed by any court or
governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company or any applicable
Subsidiary Guarantor; (iv) the Offered Securities (and, to the extent necessary,
any securities which are a component of the Offered Purchase Contracts or
Units), and any certificates or receipts representing the interests in the
relevant Offered Securities, have been duly authenticated, executed,
countersigned, registered and delivered upon payment of the agreed-upon
consideration therefor and have been duly issued and sold in accordance with any
relevant agreement (including any Applicable Agreements), any underwriting
agreement with respect to the Offered Securities or any other duly authorized,
executed and delivered, applicable, valid and binding purchase agreement, or as
otherwise contemplated by the Registration Statement or any post-effective
amendment thereto, and any Prospectus Supplement relating thereto; (v) the
Registration Statement, as finally amended (including all necessary
post-effective amendments) and any additional registration statement filed under
Rule 462 will have been declared effective under the Act and such effectiveness
shall not have been terminated or rescinded; (vi) an appropriate Prospectus
Supplement will have been prepared, delivered and filed in compliance with the
Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder describing
the Offered Securities offered thereby; (vii) the Offered Securities will be
issued and sold in compliance with applicable Federal and state securities laws
and solely in the manner stated in the Registration Statement and the applicable
Prospectus Supplement and there will not have occurred any change



Triad Hospitals, Inc.
October 9, 2002
Page 5

in law affecting the validity of the opinions rendered herein; (viii) if the
Offered Securities will be sold pursuant to a firm commitment underwritten
offering, the underwriting agreement with respect to the Offered Securities in
the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or any post-effective
amendment thereto, or incorporated by reference therein, has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto;
and (ix) in the case of an Indenture, Warrant Agreement, Stock Purchase
Contract, Unit Agreement, Certificate of Designation, Deposit Agreement or other
agreement or instrument pursuant to which any Securities are to be issued, there
shall be no terms or provisions contained therein which would affect the
validity of any of the opinions rendered herein.

               We also have assumed that (i) the Senior Indenture and the
Subordinated Indenture each will be duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the respective trustees, and that any Debt Securities that may be issued will be
authenticated by duly authorized officers of the applicable trustee; (ii) any
Deposit Agreement will be duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Depositary, and the Depositary Receipts will be duly signed by the Depositary;
and (iii) any Warrant Agreements, any Purchase Contracts and any Unit Agreements
will be duly authorized, executed, delivered and duly signed by the applicable
parties thereto other than the Company.

               Members of our firm are admitted to the Bar in the State of New
York and we do not express any opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other
than the laws of the State of New York, the General Corporation Law of the State
of Delaware and the laws of the United States of America to the extent referred
to specifically herein. We do not express any opinion with respect to the
application of the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended, or the rules, regulations
or interpretations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to Securities,
the payment of principal or interest on which will be determined by reference to
one or more currency exchange rates, commodity prices, equity indices or other
factors. The Securities may be issued from time to time on a delayed or
continuous basis, but this opinion is limited to the laws, including the rules
and regulations thereunder, as in effect on the date hereof. We disclaim any
obligation to advise you of any change in any of these sources of law or
subsequent legal or factual developments which might affect any matters or
opinions set forth herein.

               Any opinion set forth herein as to enforceability of obligations
of the Company is subject to: (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
fraudulent conveyance, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of
creditors' rights generally, and by general principles of equity (regardless of
whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law); (ii)
provisions of law which may require that a judgment for money damages rendered
by a court in the United States be expressed only in United States dollars;
(iii) requirements that a claim with respect to any Debt Securities denominated
other than in U.S. dollars (or a judgment denominated other than in U.S. dollars
in respect of such claim) be converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange
prevailing on a date determined pursuant to applicable law; and (iv)
governmental authority to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments
outside the United States or in foreign currency or composite currency. Rights
to indemnification and contribution may also be limited by Federal and state
securities laws.

               We express no opinion as to the validity, legally binding effect
or enforceability of any provision in any agreement or instrument that (i)
requires or relates to payment of any interest at a rate or in an amount which a
court would determine in the circumstances under applicable law to be
commercially unreasonable or a penalty or a forfeiture or (ii) relates to
governing law and submission by the parties to the jurisdiction of one or more
particular courts.



Triad Hospitals, Inc.
October 9, 2002
Page 6

               We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the
Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement.
We also consent to the reference to our firm under the heading "Legal Matters"
in the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit
that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7
of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Securities and
Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder.

                                Very truly yours,

                                /s/ Dewey Ballantine LLP