Exhibit: 99
                                   LIFEPOINT
                                HOSPITALS, INC.
Contact: Penny L. Brake
         Director, Finance
         (615) 372-8532

                       LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS TO PARTICIPATE
                  IN DEUTSCHE BANK HEALTH CARE 2002 CONFERENCE

BRENTWOOD, Tennessee (May 1, 2002) - LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. (Nasdaq/NM: LPNT)
today announced that it will participate in the Deutsche Bank Health Care 2002
Conference to be held May 7-9, 2002, in Baltimore, Maryland.

         Kenneth C. Donahey, chairman and chief executive officer of LifePoint
Hospitals, and Michael J. Culotta, LifePoint's chief financial officer, will
give a presentation on the Company, followed by a question and answer session.

         The Company also announced that a live broadcast of its conference
presentation will be available on Tuesday, May 7, beginning at 11:00 a.m.
Eastern Time. To access the broadcast, listeners should go to the Company's
website, www.lifepointhospitals.com or to www.db.com/conferences approximately
15 minutes prior to the event to register and download any necessary software,
Microsoft Media Player or RealPlayer. For those unable to listen to the live
broadcast, a replay will be available for 30 days by accessing the addresses
above.

         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.

         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) possible changes in reimbursement to
healthcare providers and insurers that may reduce payments; (ii) its ability to
attract and retain qualified management and personnel, including physicians,
nurses and clinical support personnel; (iii) the geographic concentration of the
Company's operations; (iv) risks associated with the Company's acquisition and
disposition strategies; (v) the management of healthcare risks as a result of
the delivery of patient care; (vi) the regulated nature of the healthcare
industry; (vii) the highly competitive nature of the healthcare business; (viii)
the potential adverse impact of government investigations and litigation
involving the business practices of HCA (to the extent relating to periods prior
to the Company's formation); (ix) fluctuations in the market value of the
Company's common stock; and (x) 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.

         All references to "Company" and "LifePoint" as used throughout this
document refer to LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. and its affiliates.

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