LifePoint Hospitals buys rural hospital company Province Healthcare for $1.7 billion in cash, stock and debt. The move doubles LifePoint’s hospital ownership. Of a combined 50 hospitals at the time of the deal, 46 are in markets where LifePoint Hospitals is the sole community hospital provider.

Founded by Marty Rash, Province had been publicly traded for six years before selling to Bill Carpenter’s LifePoint.