EXHIBIT 99.1

                        (LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC. LOGO)

Contact:    Michael J. Culotta
            Chief Financial Officer
            615-372-8512

                      LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS ANNOUNCES STATUS
                     OF SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTE REPURCHASE

Brentwood, Tennessee (April 5, 2002) - LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. (Nasdaq/NM:
LPNT) today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, LifePoint Hospitals
Holdings, Inc. ("Holdings"), has purchased, in the open market and in privately
negotiated transactions, $60,123,000 in principal amount of Holding's
outstanding 10 3/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2009 (the "Notes"). $150
million in principal amount of Notes were outstanding prior to these purchases.

The Company received approvals necessary under its Amended and Restated Credit
Facility to acquire greater than $50 million in principal amount of Notes. The
purchases were made using the Company's available cash.

In light of premiums being sought by holders of the Notes, additional purchases
are not expected to be made by Holdings at this time. Holdings reserves the
right, however, to purchase additional Notes from time-to-time, based upon its
view of market conditions and other relevant factors. Amounts purchased in the
future, if any, may be material.

The Company currently estimates that, as a result of these purchases, it will
take an extraordinary charge to income of $800,000 and $6.6 million for the
quarters ended March 31, 2002 and June 30, 2002, respectively. This charge
equals the premium paid for the Notes (the amount paid in excess of the face
value of the Notes), plus deferred loan costs allocable to Notes purchased and
fees and expenses incurred in connection with the purchases. The amount of these
extraordinary charges was offset somewhat by tax benefits resulting from the
charge.

The purchase of Notes should allow the Company to reduce its interest expense
since the fixed interest payable under the Notes is greater than the adjustable
rate of interest currently payable by the Company under the Credit Agreement. A
small portion of these anticipated savings were realized during the Company's
fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2002. The remainder of these anticipated savings
should occur in future periods.

LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. operates 23 hospitals in non-urban areas. In most
cases, the LifePoint facility is the only hospital in its community. LifePoint's
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 over 7,000 employees.

References contained in this press release to "LifePoint Hospitals, Inc.,"
"LifePoint" or the "Company" refer to LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. and its
subsidiaries.

The above statements include 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 the
Company's future results are beyond the ability of the Company to control or
predict. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties relating to the
Company, including without limitation, (i) whether the Company is able to
successfully purchase Notes on terms and conditions acceptable to the Company;
(ii) the possibility that anticipated savings could be reduced or eliminated
entirely by an increase in interest rates; (iii) whether Notes are (or become)
available for purchase on terms acceptable to the Company; (iv) the possibility
that existing accounting practices relating to the treatment of the
extraordinary charge to be incurred by the Company could be changed based on
current proposals; (v) the possibility that the Company's judgment regarding the
tax implications of the purchases could be challenged; (vi) the possibility that
interest rates could rise and increase the Company's borrowing costs under the
Credit Agreement; (vii) the possibility that the Company's liquidity needs could
change; (viii) the possibility that costs associated with the purchase of Notes
might be greater than anticipated; and (ix) those risks and uncertainties
detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Therefore, the Company's actual results may differ
materially. The Company 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.

                                      -END-