1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1

                                              NEWS RELEASE
                                              FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                                              CONTACT:  MERILYN H. HERBERT
                                              VICE PRESIDENT, INVESTOR RELATIONS
                                              (615) 370-1377


                    PROVINCE HEALTHCARE COMPLETES ACQUISITION
              OF VAUGHAN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER IN SELMA, ALABAMA

         Brentwood, Tennessee, October 1, 2001 -- Province Healthcare Company
(Nasdaq:PRHC) today announced that it has completed the acquisition of the
125-bed Vaughan Regional Medical Center in Selma, Alabama.

         The hospital was acquired from Vaughan Regional Medical Center, Inc., a
non-profit organization, for approximately $28.0 million. Vaughan Regional had
annualized revenues at May 31, 2001 of approximately $38.0 million.

         Province Healthcare is a provider of health care services in attractive
non-urban markets in the United States. The Company owns or leases 17 general
acute care hospitals in eleven states with a total of 1,883 licensed beds. The
Company also provides management services to 35 primarily non-urban hospitals in
13 states with a total of 2,779 licensed beds.

CONTACT: Merilyn H. Herbert, Province Healthcare Company (PRHC) at
        (615) 370-1377.