-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 J1mEDmDZkXqzZIZ9++wkmipN8UT+IzOEbpJ4ZeRMbCm46t76YJ5xH0YFtb3e3VPx
 kkHGIUViVxyAvtBw3XcMkg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-03-015237.txt : 20030724
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-03-015237.hdr.sgml : 20030724
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030724130128
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-03-015237
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030722
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030724

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			FRENCH O EDWIN
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001181034

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-10765
		FILM NUMBER:		03800408

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		367 SOUTH GULPH ROAD
		CITY:			KING PRUSSIA
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			19406

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			UNIVERSAL HEALTH SERVICES INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000352915
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-GENERAL MEDICAL & SURGICAL HOSPITALS, NEC [8062]
		IRS NUMBER:				232077891
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		367 S GULPH RD
		CITY:			KING OF PRUSSIA
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			19406
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6107683300

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		367 S GULPH ROAD
		CITY:			KING OF PRUSSIA
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			19406
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd13957.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-07-22</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000352915</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>UNIVERSAL HEALTH SERVICES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>UHS</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001181034</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FRENCH O EDWIN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector>
<isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common B</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-07-22</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>6081</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>.01</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>8108</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<derivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Option</value></securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>46.30</value></conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-07-22</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>20000</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>46.30</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>2004-07-22</value>
<footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2008-07-22</value></expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Common B</value></underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>20000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>81500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">Shares vest in one-third increments on 7/22/2006, 7/22/2007 and 7/22/2008 respectively</footnote>
<footnote id="F2">5,000 shares exercisable on each of 7/22/2004, 7/22/2005, 7/22/2006 and 7/22/2007</footnote></footnotes>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>O. Edwin French</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-07-24</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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