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                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1

                                            NEWS RELEASE
                                            FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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


                          PROVINCE HEALTHCARE ACQUIRES
                          CHARLESTOWN, INDIANA HOSPITAL

         Brentwood, TN, October 4, 2001 - Province Healthcare Company
(Nasdaq:PRHC) today announced the acquisition of the Medical Center of Southern
Indiana in Charlestown, Indiana from Charlestown Hospital, Inc., an Indiana
not-for-profit organization. Since 1991, The Medical Center of Southern Indiana
had been managed by American MedTrust, a private company in Atlanta, Georgia,
which owns and operates hospitals.

         The Medical Center of Southern Indiana is a 96-bed facility with net
revenues in its last fiscal year of approximately $20.1 million. Province paid
approximately $16.0 million for the hospital. The Company still has one
definitive agreement and one Letter of Intent outstanding.

         Martin S. Rash, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Province
Healthcare, said, "Medical Center of Southern Indiana is another typical
Province acquisition. It is the only hospital in the community with a service
area of approximately 48,000. The facility is in excellent condition with a
recent $2.0 million investment in renovations and new equipment. We expect to
recruit additional qualified physicians and add services such as Obstetrics and
Women's Health Services."

         Province Healthcare is a provider of health care services in attractive
non-urban markets in the United States. The Company owns or leases 18 general
acute care hospitals in eleven states with a total of 1,979 licensed beds. The
Company also provides management services to 36 primarily non-urban hospitals in
13 states with a total of 2,828 licensed beds.

         Except for historical information contained herein, the statements in
this release are forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe
harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties
which may cause the Company's actual results in future periods to differ
materially from forecasted results. Those risks include, among others, risks
associated with general economic and business conditions, the effect of future
governmental regulations, including the recently enacted Balanced Budget Act of
1997, changes in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement levels, and the Company's
ability to implement successfully its acquisition and development strategy and
to obtain financing therefore. Those and other risks are described in the
Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), copies of
which are available from the SEC or may be obtained upon request from the
Company.

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