-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 Pm1X2zEi43r57vDnMyGBmKahxz2OyzLkOdnryTXuL5Ds7gOPFEvH/K8DTK0s9m2D
 fAAIivsZMrxZkpG7+y7S5w==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001108109-04-000002.txt : 20040105
<SEC-HEADER>0001108109-04-000002.hdr.sgml : 20040105
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040105113935
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001108109-04-000002
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040102
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040105

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			DOLE ROBERT J
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001217268

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-15925
		FILM NUMBER:		04502528

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O VERNER LIIPFERT BERNHARD ET AL
		STREET 2:		901 15TH ST NW SUITE 410
		CITY:			WASHINGTON
		STATE:			DC
		ZIP:			20005

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001108109
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-GENERAL MEDICAL & SURGICAL HOSPITALS, NEC [8062]
		IRS NUMBER:				133893191
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		155 FRANKLIN RD
		STREET 2:		STE 400
		CITY:			BRENTWOOD
		STATE:			TN
		ZIP:			37027
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6153739600

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS INC/
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20000229
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001217268d20040105f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-02</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0001108109</issuerCik><issuerName>COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>CYH</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001217268</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>DOLE ROBERT J</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ALSTON &amp; BIRD</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>601 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW</rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>WASHINGTON</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>DC</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>20004</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle></officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></rep
ortingOwner><nonDerivativeTable></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>8.96</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1998-05-14</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-05-14</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>12841</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>12841</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>20.46</value></conversionOrExercisePric
e><exerciseDate><value>2004-01-02</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-01-02</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>26.95</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2004-01-02</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equity
SwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2005-01-02</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2014-01-02</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Option becomes exercisable 50% on first anniversa
ry and remaining 50% on second anniversary of date of grant.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Rachel A. Seifert, Attorney in Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-05</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----