8-K

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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                            WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

                       ----------------------------------


                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT

                        Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report                                                  May 25, 2000
(Date of Earliest Event Reported)

                      COLUMBIA/HCA HEALTHCARE CORPORATION
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)

                                    DELAWARE
                            (State of Incorporation)


 001-11239                                                       75-2497104
(Commission                                                   (I.R.S. Employer
File Number)                                                 Identification No.)


One Park Plaza, Nashville, Tennessee                                37203
(Address of principal executive offices)                          (Zip Code)


                                 (615) 344-9551
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

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ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS

         On May 25, 2000, Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation (the
"Company") announced that it changed its corporate name to "HCA - The
Healthcare Company". See the May 25, 2000 press release attached hereto as
Exhibit 20.


ITEM 7.  EXHIBIT

         Exhibit 20      Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation press release dated
                         May 25, 2000.




                                   SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

COLUMBIA/HCA HEALTHCARE CORPORATION

/s/ JOHN M. FRANCK II
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John M. Franck II
Vice President and
Corporate Secretary

DATED: May 26, 2000

EX-20

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                                                                     Exhibit 20

                         HCA - THE HEALTHCARE COMPANY
                               NEW NAME UNVEILED
                 Columbia/HCA Returns To Heritage With New Name

NASHVILLE, TENN., MAY 25, 2000--Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation announced
that the company is officially changing its name today to HCA - The Healthcare
Company.

         In a move designed to build on recent changes in the company, the new
name reflects a return to the values that are the foundation of the current
company. Putting patients first, focusing on local hospitals, and creating a
mission and values statement based on input from across the company are all
hallmarks of the culture the company has been re-creating since 1997.

         "Returning the company's name to HCA is an affirmation of the culture
and values of our more than 168,000 employees," said Thomas F. Frist, Jr., M.D.,
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of HCA. "We have restructured this company
based on the principles on which the company was originally founded and our name
reflects that change."

         The name change is a significant event for the company, but is not
expected to have any impact on local hospitals, which will continue to use their
existing names and identities. As part of the change, the company's ticker
symbol on the New York Stock Exchange will change to "HCA" effective May 30,
2000. In addition, various forms and documents used by the company will change
along with letterhead and related products, but local hospitals will continue to
use their existing logos.

         "Healthcare is delivered locally, and should be focused locally," Frist
said. "We have great hospitals and surgery centers that are tremendous assets to
their communities. Who we truly are as a company is local facilities like Summit
Medical Center in Nashville; Wesley Medical Center of Wichita; JFK Medical
Center in South Florida; Medical City Dallas Hospital; Trident Medical Center in
Charleston, South Carolina and Swedish Medical Center in Denver."

         Also today, the company announced that the Board of Directors has
declared a regular quarterly dividend of $.02 per share, payable September 1,
2000 to stockholders of record as of August 1, 2000.