TENET HEALTHCARE CORP
S-3/A, 1995-12-26
GENERAL MEDICAL & SURGICAL HOSPITALS, NEC
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<PAGE>
   
   AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON DECEMBER 26, 1995
    

                                                       REGISTRATION NO. 33-63451
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                            ------------------------

   
                                AMENDMENT NO. 4
                                       TO
                                    FORM S-3
    

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                             ---------------------

                          TENET HEALTHCARE CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

<TABLE>
<S>                                      <C>
                NEVADA                                 95-2557091
    (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF                 (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
    INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)                 IDENTIFICATION NO.)
</TABLE>

                              2700 COLORADO AVENUE
                         SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA 90404
                                 (310) 998-8000
  (ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF
                   REGISTRANT'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)

                              SCOTT M. BROWN, ESQ.
                             SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT,
                         SECRETARY AND GENERAL COUNSEL
                          TENET HEALTHCARE CORPORATION
                              2700 COLORADO AVENUE
                         SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA 90404
                                 (310) 998-8000
 (NAME, ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE,
                             OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)
                         ------------------------------

                        Copies of all communications to:

<TABLE>
<S>                                      <C>
        BRIAN J. MCCARTHY, ESQ.              RICHARD D. TRUESDELL, JR., ESQ.
 SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, MEAGHER & FLOM             DAVIS POLK & WARDWELL
  300 SOUTH GRAND AVENUE, SUITE 3400              450 LEXINGTON AVENUE
     LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90071              NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10017
            (213) 687-5000                           (212) 450-4000
</TABLE>

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

        APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC:
   AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE AFTER THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE
                            ------------------------

    If  the  only securities  being registered  on this  Form are  being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the  following
box.  / /

    If  any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to  Rule 415 under the Securities Act  of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, check the following box.  / /

    If  this Form  is filed  to register  additional securities  for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box
and list  the  Securities  Act  registration statement  number  of  the  earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering.  / / ______________
    If  this Form  is a post-effective  amendment filed pursuant  to Rule 462(c)
under the Securities Act,  check the following box  and list the Securities  Act
registration  statement number  of the earlier  effective registration statement
for the same offering.  / / ______________
    If delivery of the prospectus is expected  to be made pursuant to Rule  434,
please check the following box.  /X/
                            ------------------------

    THE  REGISTRANT HEREBY  AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION  STATEMENT ON  SUCH DATE OR
DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL
FILE A  FURTHER  AMENDMENT  WHICH SPECIFICALLY  STATES  THAT  THIS  REGISTRATION
STATEMENT  SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN  ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(A) OF
THE SECURITIES ACT  OF 1933 OR  UNTIL THIS REGISTRATION  STATEMENT SHALL  BECOME
EFFECTIVE  ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(A),
MAY DETERMINE.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
Information   contained  herein  is  subject   to  completion  or  amendment.  A
registration statement  relating to  these securities  has been  filed with  the
Securities  and Exchange  Commission. These securities  may not be  sold nor may
offers to buy be accepted prior  to the time the registration statement  becomes
effective.  This  prospectus  shall  not  constitute an  offer  to  sell  or the
solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these  securities
in any jurisdiction
in   which  such  offer,  solicitation  or  sale  would  be  unlawful  prior  to
registration  or  qualification   under  the   securities  laws   of  any   such
jurisdiction.
<PAGE>
   
                 SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED DECEMBER 26, 1995
    

   
PROSPECTUS
                  , 1996
    

                                     [LOGO]

                          TENET HEALTHCARE CORPORATION
                                  $350,000,000
                    % EXCHANGEABLE SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2005
                   EXCHANGEABLE FOR SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF
                                  VENCOR, INC.
                                 --------------

   
    The  Exchangeable Subordinated  Notes (the  "Notes") to  be issued  by Tenet
Healthcare Corporation, a Nevada corporation ("Tenet" or the "Company"), will be
exchangeable at the option of  the holder for shares  of common stock, $.25  par
value,  of Vencor, Inc. (the "Vencor Common Stock") owned by the Company, at any
time on  or after  November 6,  1997 and  prior to  maturity, unless  previously
redeemed,  at an exchange  rate (the "Exchange Rate")  of      shares per $1,000
principal amount of Notes (equivalent to an exchange price of $     per  share),
subject  to adjustment in certain  events and subject to  the Company's right to
pay an amount  in cash  equal to  the Market Price  (as defined  herein) of  the
shares  of Vencor Common Stock for which  such Notes are exchangeable in lieu of
delivery of such  shares. The Notes  will be exchangeable  prior to November  6,
1997 only in the event of a merger, consolidation or liquidation of Vencor, Inc.
pursuant to which the shares of Vencor Common Stock held by the Escrow Agent (as
defined  herein) are  converted into or  exchanged for cash  or other securities
registered under the Securities  Act of 1933. Interest  on the Notes is  payable
semiannually  on           and           of each year, commencing on           ,
1996. On December 20, 1995, the last reported sale price for Vencor Common Stock
on the New  York Stock  Exchange (where  it trades  under the  symbol "VC")  was
$32.625 per share. The Notes have been approved for listing, subject to official
notice of issuance, on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "THC D 05."
    

    The  Notes will  be redeemable, in  whole or in  part, at the  option of the
Company, at any time on or after           , 1998, at the redemption prices  set
forth  herein,  plus  accrued  and  unpaid interest,  if  any,  to  the  date of
redemption.

   
    The Notes are unsecured general obligations of the Company, subordinated  in
right  of payment to all existing and future Senior and Senior Subordinated Debt
(as defined herein) of the Company.  The indenture governing the Notes will  not
restrict  the  incurrence  of  Senior  and  Senior  Subordinated  Debt  or other
indebtedness by the Company or  its subsidiaries. As of  October 31, 1995, on  a
pro  forma basis after giving  effect to the issuance and  sale of the Notes and
certain  other  transactions  described   herein  under  "Pro  Forma   Financial
Information,"  the aggregate outstanding  principal amount of  Senior and Senior
Subordinated Debt would have been  approximately $3.2 billion. In addition,  the
Notes will be effectively subordinated to all indebtedness and other obligations
of  the Company's subsidiaries,  which on a  pro forma basis  as described above
would have been approximately $1.5 billion at October 31, 1995 (excluding  trade
payables of $242.0 million at October 31, 1995).
    

    SEE  "RISK FACTORS" BEGINNING ON PAGE 10 FOR A DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN FACTORS
THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY  PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS IN EVALUATING AN  INVESTMENT
IN THE NOTES.

THESE  SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
   EXCHANGE COMMISSION  OR  ANY STATE  SECURITIES  COMMISSION NOR  HAS  THE
     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
       PASSED  UPON THE ACCURACY  OR ADEQUACY OF  THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY
          REPRESENTATION  TO  THE  CONTRARY  IS  A  CRIMINAL  OFFENSE.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 PRICE          UNDERWRITING        PROCEEDS
                                 TO THE        DISCOUNTS AND         TO THE
                               PUBLIC (1)     COMMISSIONS (2)     COMPANY (3)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                         <C>               <C>               <C>
Per Note..................         %                 %                 %
Total.....................         $                 $                 $
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<FN>
(1)  PLUS ACCRUED INTEREST, IF ANY, FROM THE DATE OF ISSUANCE.
(2)    THE COMPANY  HAS  AGREED TO  INDEMNIFY  THE UNDERWRITERS  AGAINST CERTAIN
     LIABILITIES, INCLUDING LIABILITIES  UNDER THE  SECURITIES ACT  OF 1933,  AS
     AMENDED. SEE "UNDERWRITING."
(3)  BEFORE DEDUCTING EXPENSES PAYABLE BY THE COMPANY, ESTIMATED AT $800,000.
</TABLE>

   
    The  Notes are offered by the Underwriters,  subject to prior sale, when, as
and if issued to and accepted by the Underwriters, and subject to various  prior
conditions. The Underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify any
such  offer  and to  reject orders  in whole  or  in part.  It is  expected that
delivery of the Notes will be made in New York, New York  on or about          ,
1996.
    

DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE                                 MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
       SECURITIES CORPORATION
<PAGE>
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION

    Tenet   has  filed  with   the  Securities  and   Exchange  Commission  (the
"Commission")  a  Registration   Statement  on  Form   S-3  (the   "Registration
Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"),
for  the  registration of  the Notes  (as defined  herein) offered  hereby. This
Prospectus, which constitutes  a part  of the Registration  Statement, does  not
contain  all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement, certain
items of  which are  contained in  exhibits and  schedules to  the  Registration
Statement  as  permitted by  the rules  and regulations  of the  Commission. For
further information with respect to the Company and the Notes, reference is made
to the Registration Statement, including the exhibits thereto, and the financial
statements and notes filed as a part thereof. Statements made in this Prospectus
concerning the contents of any contract, agreement or other document referred to
herein are  not  necessarily  complete.  With respect  to  each  such  contract,
agreement  or other document filed with  the Commission as an exhibit, reference
is made to the exhibit for a  more complete description of the matter  involved,
and  each  such statement  shall be  deemed  qualified in  its entirety  by such
reference.

    The Company is subject to  the informational requirements of the  Securities
Exchange  Act  of 1934,  as  amended (the  "Exchange  Act"), and,  in accordance
therewith, files  reports,  proxy  statements and  other  information  with  the
Commission.  The reports,  proxy statements and  other information  filed by the
Company with the Commission may be inspected and copied at the public  reference
facilities maintained by the Commission at Room 1024, Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth
Street,  N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, and  at the Commission's regional offices
at Citicorp Center, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661
and 7 World Trade Center, 13th Floor,  New York, New York 10048. Copies of  such
material  may be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the Commission at
Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street,  N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, at  prescribed
rates.  The Company's Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the
"NYSE") and  the Pacific  Stock Exchange  (the "PSE")  under the  symbol  "THC."
Reports,  proxy statements  and other  information filed  by the  Company may be
inspected at the  offices of the  NYSE at 20  Broad Street, New  York, New  York
10005  and  at  the  offices of  the  PSE  at 301  Pine  Street,  San Francisco,
California 94104.

                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

    The following documents filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to
the Exchange  Act (File  No.  1-7293) are  incorporated  in this  Prospectus  by
reference  and are made  a part hereof: (i)  Annual Report on  Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended May  31, 1995, filed  with the Commission  on August 25,  1995
(the  "Tenet 10-K"); (ii) Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period
ended August 31, 1995, filed with  the Commission on October 13, 1995  ("Tenet's
August  1995 10-Q"); (iii) Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Commission
on July  7,  1995 and  October  2, 1995;  (iv)  the portions  of  Tenet's  Proxy
Statement  for the  Annual Meeting of  Shareholders held on  September 27, 1995,
filed with the  Commission on  August 25, 1995  that have  been incorporated  by
reference  into the  Tenet 10-K;  (v) the portions  of Tenet's  Annual Report to
Shareholders for the fiscal year ended  May 31, 1995, filed with the  Commission
on  October 30,  1995 that  have been incorporated  by reference  into the Tenet
10-K; (vi) Amendment to the Tenet 10-K on Form 10-K/A filed with the  Commission
on  December 18, 1995; and  (vii) Amendment to Tenet's  August 1995 10-Q on Form
10-Q/A filed with the Commission on December 18, 1995.

    The following documents  filed by  American Medical  Holdings, Inc.  ("AMH")
(File  No. 1-10511) and  American Medical International,  Inc. ("AMI") (File No.
1-7612) with the  Commission pursuant to  the Exchange Act  are incorporated  in
this  Prospectus by reference and  are made a part  hereof: (i) Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended  August 31, 1994, filed with the  Commission
on  November 22, 1994 (the "AMH/AMI 10-K");  (ii) Amendments to the AMH/AMI 10-K
on Form 10-K/A, filed with the Commission on December 20, 1994, January 5,  1995
and  January 6, 1995; and (iii) Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly
periods ended November 30, 1994 and February 28, 1995, filed with the Commission
on January 18, 1995 and April 14, 1995, respectively.

    All documents filed by the Company  with the Commission pursuant to  Section
13(a),  13(c), 14 or  15(d) of the Exchange  Act subsequent to  the date of this
Prospectus and prior to the termination  of the offering of the securities  made
hereby shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and to
be  a part hereof from  the date of the filing  of such documents. Any statement
contained in a  document incorporated  or deemed  to be  incorporated herein  by
reference  shall be  deemed to  be modified or  superseded for  purposes of this
Prospectus to  the extent  that a  statement contained  herein or  in any  other
subsequently  filed  document  which  also  is  incorporated  or  deemed  to  be
incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such
statement so modified or superseded shall  not be deemed, except as so  modified
or superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.

    The  Company  will  provide without  charge  to each  person,  including any
beneficial owner, to  whom this Prospectus  is delivered, upon  oral or  written
request,  a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated herein by reference
(other than exhibits to  such documents, unless  such exhibits are  specifically
incorporated  by  reference in  such documents).  Written or  telephone requests
should be directed to Tenet Healthcare Corporation, 2700 Colorado Avenue,  Santa
Monica,   California  90404,  Attention:  Scott  M.  Brown,  Esq.,  Senior  Vice
President, Secretary and General Counsel (telephone (310) 998-8000).

    IN CONNECTION WITH THIS OFFERING, THE UNDERWRITERS MAY OVER-ALLOT OR  EFFECT
TRANSACTIONS WHICH STABILIZE OR MAINTAIN THE MARKET PRICE OF THE NOTES AT LEVELS
ABOVE  THOSE WHICH MIGHT OTHERWISE PREVAIL IN THE OPEN MARKET. SUCH TRANSACTIONS
MAY BE EFFECTED ON THE NEW  YORK STOCK EXCHANGE OR OTHERWISE. SUCH  STABILIZING,
IF COMMENCED, MAY BE DISCONTINUED AT ANY TIME.

                                       2
<PAGE>
                               PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

    THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY, AND SHOULD BE READ IN
CONJUNCTION  WITH,  THE MORE  DETAILED INFORMATION  APPEARING ELSEWHERE  IN THIS
PROSPECTUS OR INCORPORATED  HEREIN BY  REFERENCE. UNLESS  THE CONTEXT  OTHERWISE
REQUIRES,  THE TERMS "TENET" OR "COMPANY"  REFER TO TENET HEALTHCARE CORPORATION
(FORMERLY KNOWN AS NATIONAL MEDICAL ENTERPRISES, INC.) AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES  AND
THEIR RESPECTIVE OPERATIONS.

                                  THE COMPANY

    Tenet   is  an  investor-owned  healthcare  company  that  operates  general
hospitals and related healthcare facilities serving primarily urban areas in  13
states  and holds  investments in  other healthcare  companies. At  November 30,
1995, Tenet  operated 75  domestic general  hospitals, with  a total  of  16,834
licensed  beds,  located  in Alabama,  Arkansas,  California,  Florida, Georgia,
Indiana,  Louisiana,  Missouri,  Nebraska,   North  Carolina,  South   Carolina,
Tennessee  and Texas. Tenet grew from an operator of 35 general hospitals at May
31, 1994,  to  an  operator  of 75  general  hospitals  and  related  healthcare
facilities at November 30, 1995, principally through its acquisition of American
Medical  Holdings, Inc. ("AMH").  That acquisition was  accomplished on March 1,
1995, when a subsidiary of  Tenet was merged into AMH,  leaving AMH as a  wholly
owned subsidiary of Tenet (the "Merger").

    At  November  30, 1995,  Tenet also  operated six  rehabilitation hospitals,
seven long-term care facilities and  five psychiatric facilities located on  the
same  campus as,  or nearby, Tenet's  general hospitals, in  addition to various
ancillary healthcare operations.

    Tenet also held investments in  the following other healthcare companies  at
November  30, 1995: (i)  an approximately 11.8% voting  interest in Vencor, Inc.
("Vencor"), a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the
"NYSE") that,  according  to  its  publicly  available  documents,  operates  an
integrated  network of healthcare services primarily focused on the needs of the
elderly, (ii) an approximately 42% interest in Westminster Health Care  Holdings
PLC  ("Westminster"),  a  publicly traded  company  listed on  the  London Stock
Exchange that operated 78 long-term  care facilities and was the  second-largest
long-term  care provider in  the United Kingdom  at November 30,  1995, (iii) an
approximately 13%  interest  in  Total  Renal Care  Holdings,  Inc.  ("TRC"),  a
publicly traded company listed on the NYSE that operated 65 free-standing kidney
dialysis  units in 10 states at November 30, 1995, and (iv) an approximately 23%
interest in Health Care  Property Partners, a  partnership originally formed  by
the  Company and Health  Care Property Investors, Inc.  The Company acquired its
interest in Vencor as a result of the September 28, 1995, merger between  Vencor
and  The  Hillhaven Corporation  ("Hillhaven"). Prior  to that  transaction, the
Company owned an approximately  26% interest in Hillhaven.  As a result of  that
transaction,  the Company's shares of common stock, $.75 par value, of Hillhaven
(the "Hillhaven  Common Stock")  were  exchanged for  Vencor Common  Stock.  See
"Recent Developments."

    The  Company's  principal executive  offices  are located  at  2700 Colorado
Avenue, Santa  Monica,  California 90404,  and  its telephone  number  is  (310)
998-8000.

                                     VENCOR

    According  to  Vencor's  publicly available  documents,  Vencor,  a Delaware
corporation, operates  an integrated  network of  healthcare services  primarily
focused  on the  needs of  the elderly. Vencor  is subject  to the informational
requirements of  the  Exchange Act.  Accordingly,  Vencor files  reports,  proxy
statements  and other information  with the Commission.  Copies of such reports,
proxy statements  and other  information  may be  inspected  and copied  at  the
Commission  locations listed under "Available Information" and at the offices of
the NYSE, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

    At November 30, 1995,  the Company owned 8,301,067  shares of Vencor  Common
Stock  which represented  approximately 11.8%  of the  outstanding Vencor Common
Stock, with sole voting and investment  power over all such shares. The  Company
believes  that it  is not  an affiliate of  Vencor. The  Company currently holds
certain registration rights in connection with the shares of Vencor Common Stock
that it  owns. Pursuant  to the  terms  of the  indenture governing  the  Notes,
however, the Notes are not exchangeable,

                                       3
<PAGE>
except  under certain circumstances, into shares of Vencor Common Stock owned by
Tenet until November 6, 1997. Accordingly, as a subsequent sale of Vencor Common
Stock would  then be  permitted under  certain exemptions  to registration,  the
Company  does  not  anticipate  exercising  such rights.  In  the  event  that a
registration statement were  required to  effectuate a conversion  of the  Notes
offered  hereby into Vencor Common Stock, and the Company elects not to exercise
its option  to  satisfy the  exchange  right in  cash,  the Company  would  then
exercise  such registration  rights. See  "Relationship Between  the Company and
Vencor."

    THIS PROSPECTUS RELATES ONLY TO THE NOTES OFFERED HEREBY AND DOES NOT RELATE
TO THE VENCOR  COMMON STOCK  OR TO  THE EXCHANGE OF  THE NOTES  INTO THE  VENCOR
COMMON  STOCK. ALTHOUGH  THE COMPANY  HAS NO  REASON TO  BELIEVE THE INFORMATION
CONCERNING VENCOR INCLUDED HEREIN OR IN VENCOR'S PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DOCUMENTS IS
NOT RELIABLE,  IT HAS  NOT VERIFIED  EITHER ITS  ACCURACY OR  ITS  COMPLETENESS.
NEITHER  THE COMPANY NOR  THE UNDERWRITERS WARRANT THAT  THERE HAVE NOT OCCURRED
EVENTS, NOT  YET PUBLICLY  DISCLOSED BY  VENCOR, THAT  WOULD AFFECT  EITHER  THE
TRADING  PRICE OF THE VENCOR COMMON STOCK OR THE ACCURACY OR THE COMPLETENESS OF
ANY STATEMENTS  CONCERNING  VENCOR  INCLUDED  HEREIN  OR  IN  VENCOR'S  PUBLICLY
AVAILABLE  DOCUMENTS.  THE  COMPANY UNDERTAKES  TO  PROVIDE A  REFERENCE  IN ITS
QUARTERLY AND ANNUAL  PERIODIC REPORTS  TO VENCOR'S EXCHANGE  ACT REPORTS  FILED
WITH THE COMMISSION.

                              RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

GENERAL HOSPITAL ACQUISITIONS AND DEVELOPMENTS

   
    In  July 1995, Tenet acquired a one-third  interest in St. Clair Hospital, a
not-for-profit general  hospital  with  82  licensed  beds  located  outside  of
Birmingham,  Alabama. In  August 1995,  Tenet acquired  for approximately $222.6
million  in  cash   the  Mercy+Baptist  Medical   Center  ("Mercy+Baptist"),   a
not-for-profit system of two general hospitals with an aggregate of 759 licensed
beds  located in  New Orleans, Louisiana,  and a related  physician practice. In
September  1995,  Tenet  acquired  for  approximately  $80.3  million  in   cash
(including  the  purchase  or  assumption  of  working  capital)  the Providence
Memorial Hospital ("Providence"), a  not-for-profit general hospital located  in
El  Paso, Texas.  Providence is  licensed for 471  general hospital  beds (34 of
which may be used  as skilled nursing  beds) and is  licensed for 30  additional
rehabilitation and subacute care beds. In October 1995, the Company entered into
a  long-term lease of the 49-bed  Medical Center of Manchester ("Manchester") in
central Tennessee, and Manchester's home health business. In November 1995,  the
Company  acquired the 104-bed not-for-profit  Methodist Hospital of Jonesboro, a
general hospital located in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The Company utilized its Senior
Revolving Debt  (as defined  herein) to  finance these  acquisitions. In  August
1995,  Tenet also entered into an agreement with the Cleveland Clinic Florida to
develop a  new 150-bed  general  hospital in  western Broward  County,  Florida.
Completion of that project is subject to governmental approvals.
    

DIVESTITURE OF INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS

    During  fiscal 1995,  Tenet's management concluded  that it would  be in the
best interests of  Tenet's shareholders  for the Company  to focus  on its  core
business  of operating domestic general hospitals. Consequently, the Company has
sold or has reached an agreement to sell substantially all of its  international
operations.

    On June 28, 1995, Tenet sold its two Singapore hospitals to Parkway Holdings
Limited  ("Parkway"). The net cash consideration Tenet received in the Singapore
transaction was approximately $243.3 million, net of approximately $78.3 million
of debt of Tenet assumed by Parkway. On October 15, 1995, Tenet tendered its 52%
interest in Australian  Medical Enterprises  Limited ("AME")  to Mayne  Nickless
Limited  ("Mayne Nickless")  for net  cash consideration  of approximately $68.3
million, pursuant to Mayne Nickless's tender  offer for all of AME's shares.  In
addition,  on October 3,  1995, Tenet sold  its 30% interest  in the Subang Jaya
Medical  Centre  in  Malaysia  to   Tenet's  Malaysian  partner  for  net   cash
consideration  of approximately $12.0 million. The Company used the net proceeds
from these sales  to repay  secured bank loans  under its  Credit Agreement  (as
defined herein).

                                       4
<PAGE>
    Tenet  also  has  reached an  agreement  to  sell its  40%  interest  in the
Bumrungrad Medical Center  in Thailand  to its  Thai partner.  Tenet expects  to
receive  net cash consideration of approximately  $20.8 million from the sale of
its holdings in Thailand during the third quarter of fiscal 1996.

VENCOR'S ACQUISITION OF HILLHAVEN

    On September 28, 1995, Vencor  acquired Hillhaven pursuant to a  transaction
approved  by the shareholders of  each of Vencor and  Hillhaven on September 27,
1995. As a result of the  transaction, the 8,878,147 shares of Hillhaven  Common
Stock that had been owned by Tenet were exchanged for 8,301,067 shares of Vencor
Common  Stock (at an  exchange ratio of  0.935 Vencor shares  for each Hillhaven
share).  In  addition,  Tenet  received  approximately  $91.8  million  for  its
Hillhaven  Series C Preferred Stock and  Hillhaven Series D Preferred Stock. The
proceeds from the redemption  of the Hillhaven preferred  stock were applied  to
repay secured bank loans under the Company's Credit Agreement.

SENIOR NOTES OFFERING

    On  October 16, 1995, the Company  consummated an offering of $500.0 million
of 8 5/8% Senior Notes due 2003 (the "Senior Notes Offering"). The net  proceeds
to  the Company from  the Senior Notes Offering  of approximately $486.7 million
(after deducting estimated expenses and underwriting discounts and  commissions)
were used to repay secured bank loans under the Company's Credit Agreement.

                                       5
<PAGE>
                                  THE OFFERING

   
<TABLE>
<S>                                 <C>
Notes Offered.....................  $350,000,000  principal  amount  of       % Exchangeable
                                    Subordinated Notes.
Maturity Date.....................  , 2005.
Interest Payment Dates............  June 1 and December 1, commencing June 1, 1996.
Exchange Rights...................  The Notes  will be  exchangeable  for shares  of  Vencor
                                    Common  Stock owned  by Tenet  at any  time on  or after
                                    November  6,  1997,  and   prior  to  maturity,   unless
                                    previously    redeemed,   at   an   exchange   rate   of
                                    shares of  Vencor  Common  Stock  per  $1,000  principal
                                    amount  of Notes,  subject to adjustment  and subject to
                                    the Company's right to  pay an amount  in cash equal  to
                                    the  Market Price of  the shares of  Vencor Common Stock
                                    for  which  such  Notes  are  exchangeable  in  lieu  of
                                    delivery   of  such  shares.  Accordingly,  each  $1,000
                                    principal  amount   of   Notes   is   exchangeable   for
                                    shares  of Vencor  Common Stock,  subject to adjustment,
                                    for an aggregate of 8,301,067 shares. The Notes will  be
                                    exchangeable  prior  to November  6,  1997, only  in the
                                    event of  a  merger,  consolidation  or  liquidation  of
                                    Vencor  pursuant to  which the  shares of  Vencor Common
                                    Stock held by  the Escrow  Agent are  converted into  or
                                    exchanged  for cash or other securities registered under
                                    the  Securities  Act.  See  "Description  of  Notes   --
                                    Exchange Rights."
Mandatory Redemption..............  None.
Optional Redemption...............  The  Notes will be  redeemable, in whole  or in part, at
                                    the option  of  the Company  at  any time  on  or  after
                                             ,  1998  at  the  redemption  prices  set forth
                                    herein, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the
                                    date of redemption.
Change of Control of Tenet........  Upon a Change  of Control Triggering  Event (as  defined
                                    herein),  each holder  of Notes  will have  the right to
                                    require Tenet to repurchase such holder's Notes at  100%
                                    of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid
                                    interest  to the  date of  repurchase. The  terms of the
                                    Company's Credit Agreement effectively will prohibit and
                                    the  indentures  governing  certain  Senior  and  Senior
                                    Subordinated  Debt  of  the  Company  may  prohibit  the
                                    Company from repurchasing Notes upon the occurrence of a
                                    Change of  Control Triggering  Event.  There can  be  no
                                    assurance  that Tenet will  have the financial resources
                                    to repurchase  the Notes  in the  event of  a Change  of
                                    Control Triggering Event, particularly if such Change of
                                    Control Triggering Event requires Tenet to refinance, or
                                    results  in the acceleration of, other indebtedness. See
                                    "Description of the  Credit Agreement" and  "Description
                                    of Notes--Repurchase at the Option of Holders."
Subordination.....................  The  Notes will be general  unsecured obligations of the
                                    Company,  subordinated  in  right  of  payment  to   all
                                    existing  and future Senior and Senior Subordinated Debt
                                    of the Company. The  Indenture (as defined herein)  will
                                    not   restrict  the  incurrence  of  Senior  and  Senior
                                    Subordinated Debt or other  indebtedness by the  Company
                                    or any of its subsidiaries. As of October 31, 1995, on a
                                    pro  forma basis after giving effect to the issuance and
                                    sale  of  the  Notes  and  certain  other   transactions
                                    described    herein    under   "Pro    Forma   Financial
                                    Information,"  the   aggregate   outstanding   principal
</TABLE>
    

                                       6
<PAGE>

   
<TABLE>
<S>                                 <C>
                                    amount of Senior and Senior Subordinated Debt would have
                                    been  approximately $3.2 billion. In addition, the Notes
                                    will be effectively subordinated to all indebtedness and
                                    other obligations of  the Company's subsidiaries,  which
                                    on  a pro forma basis would have been approximately $1.5
                                    billion at October 31, 1995 (excluding trade payables of
                                    $242.0 million  at October  31,  1995). See  "Pro  Forma
                                    Financial Information."
Use of Proceeds...................  The  net proceeds  to the Company  from the  sale of the
                                    Notes are  estimated  to  be approximately  $    million
                                    (after  deducting  estimated  expenses  and underwriting
                                    discounts and commissions). The  Company intends to  use
                                    all  of such  net proceeds  to repay  secured bank loans
                                    under  the  Company's  Credit  Agreement.  See  "Use  of
                                    Proceeds."
Vencor Common Stock...............  The  Vencor Common Stock is listed on the NYSE, where it
                                    trades under the symbol "VC."
</TABLE>
    

                                  RISK FACTORS
    See "Risk  Factors" for  a  discussion of  certain  factors that  should  be
considered  by prospective  purchasers in connection  with an  investment in the
Notes offered hereby.

                                       7
<PAGE>
                    SUMMARY PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION

    The following table presents summary pro forma financial information derived
from the Unaudited  Pro Forma Condensed  Combined Financial Statements  included
elsewhere  in  this  Prospectus.  The  Unaudited  Pro  Forma  Condensed Combined
Financial Statements give effect to the following transactions and events as  if
they  had occurred as of June 1, 1994 for purposes of the pro forma statement of
operations and other operating information and  on August 31, 1995 for  purposes
of  the pro forma balance sheet data:  (i) the August 1994 sale of approximately
75% of the common  stock of TRC; (ii)  the elimination of restructuring  charges
recorded  by Tenet; (iii) the elimination  of nonrecurring gains on disposals of
facilities and long-term investments recorded by Tenet; (iv) the elimination  of
nonrecurring  merger costs recorded by  AMH prior to the  Merger; (v) the Merger
and related transactions, applying the  purchase method of accounting; (vi)  the
acquisitions  of Mercy+Baptist and  Providence; (vii) the June  28, 1995 sale of
the  Company's  Mount  Elizabeth  Hospital,  East  Shore  Hospital  and  related
healthcare  businesses in Singapore as  well as the October  3, 1995 sale of the
Company's holding  in Malaysia,  the  October 15,  1995  sale of  the  Company's
holdings  in  Australia  and the  probable  sale  of the  Company's  holdings in
Thailand, which  sale  currently  is pending;  (viii)  Vencor's  acquisition  of
Hillhaven;  (ix)  the consummation  of  the Senior  Notes  Offering and  (x) the
consummation of this Offering.

    The Unaudited  Pro  Forma Condensed  Combined  Financial Statements  do  not
purport  to present the financial position or results of operations of Tenet had
the transactions and events assumed therein occurred on the dates specified, nor
are they  necessarily  indicative of  the  results  of operations  that  may  be
achieved in the future.

    The  following Summary Pro Forma Financial Information for the quarter ended
August 31, 1994  and the year  ended May 31,  1995 do not  reflect certain  cost
savings  that management  believes may  be realized as  a result  of the Merger,
currently estimated  to be  approximately $60.0  million annually  beginning  in
fiscal  1996  (before  any  severance or  other  costs  of  implementing certain
efficiencies). These savings are expected  to be realized primarily through  the
elimination of duplicative corporate overhead expenses, reduced supplies expense
through  the incorporation  of the  acquired AMH  facilities into  the Company's
group  purchasing  program,  and  improved   collection  of  the  acquired   AMH
facilities'  accounts receivable. No assurances can be  made as to the amount of
cost savings, if any, that actually will be realized.

    The Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements are based on
certain assumptions  and adjustments  described in  the Notes  to Unaudited  Pro
Forma  Condensed Combined  Financial Statements  included in  the Prospectus and
should be read  in conjunction  therewith and with  Management's Discussion  and
Analysis  and the  Consolidated Financial  Statements of  Tenet and  the related
Notes thereto incorporated by reference herein.

    Tenet reports its  financial information  on the basis  of a  May 31  fiscal
year. AMH reported its financial information on the basis of an August 31 fiscal
year.

                                       8
<PAGE>
                    SUMMARY PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION
           (DOLLARS IN MILLIONS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS AND RATIOS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                 FISCAL      THREE MONTHS ENDED
                                                                                  YEAR           AUGUST 31,
                                                                                 ENDED      --------------------
                                                                              MAY 31, 1995    1994       1995
                                                                              ------------  ---------  ---------
<S>                                                                           <C>           <C>        <C>
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
  Net operating revenues....................................................   $  5,406.7   $ 1,327.4  $ 1,337.2
  Operating expenses:
    Salaries and benefits...................................................      2,167.2       533.7      527.1
    Supplies................................................................        779.4       189.6      195.4
    Provision for doubtful accounts.........................................        298.6        78.9       72.9
    Other operating expenses................................................      1,159.5       279.2      283.4
    Depreciation............................................................        239.7        59.0       62.0
    Amortization............................................................         77.5        19.2       19.2
                                                                              ------------  ---------  ---------
  Operating income..........................................................        684.8       167.8      177.2
  Interest expense, net of capitalized portion..............................       (320.0)      (79.1)     (77.5)
  Investment earnings.......................................................         19.3         4.2        5.4
  Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates...........................         11.8         2.9        2.9
  Minority interest expense.................................................         (5.9)       (0.8)      (4.1)
                                                                              ------------  ---------  ---------
  Income from continuing operations before income taxes.....................        390.0        95.0      103.9
  Taxes on income...........................................................       (172.8)      (42.5)     (46.5)
                                                                              ------------  ---------  ---------
  Income from continuing operations.........................................   $    217.2   $    52.5  $    57.4
                                                                              ------------  ---------  ---------
                                                                              ------------  ---------  ---------
  Earnings per common share from continuing operations, fully diluted.......   $     1.05   $    0.25  $    0.27
  Weighted average number of shares outstanding (in 000's)..................      214,938     213,310    215,839
  Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (1)....................................         2.0x        2.0x       2.1x
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                        AS OF
                                                                                                      AUGUST 31,
                                                                                                         1995
                                                                                                    --------------
<S>                                                                                                 <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
  Working capital.................................................................................    $     63.7
  Total assets....................................................................................       8,023.4
  Long-term debt, net of current portion..........................................................       3,155.1
  Shareholders' equity............................................................................       2,207.6
<FN>
- ------------------------
(1)  The  ratio of  earnings to fixed  charges is calculated  by dividing income
     from continuing operations before income taxes plus fixed charges by  fixed
     charges.  Fixed charges consist of interest expense, including amortization
     of financing  costs,  and that  portion  of  rental expense  deemed  to  be
     representative of the interest component of rental expense.
</TABLE>

                                       9
<PAGE>
                                  RISK FACTORS

    PROSPECTIVE  INVESTORS SHOULD CONSIDER  CAREFULLY, IN ADDITION  TO THE OTHER
INFORMATION CONTAINED  OR  INCORPORATED BY  REFERENCE  IN THIS  PROSPECTUS,  THE
FOLLOWING FACTORS BEFORE PURCHASING THE NOTES OFFERED HEREBY.

VALUE THAT A HOLDER RECEIVES UPON EXERCISE NOT FIXED BUT BASED UPON VALUE OF
VENCOR COMMON STOCK; LIMITED OPPORTUNITY FOR EQUITY APPRECIATION

    The terms of the Notes differ from those of ordinary debt securities because
the  Notes are exchangeable for shares  of Vencor Common Stock. Accordingly, the
value that a holder  of the Notes  would receive should  they elect to  exercise
their  exchange rights  is not fixed,  but is based  on the price  of the Vencor
Common Stock.

    The opportunity for  equity appreciation  afforded by an  investment in  the
Notes  is  less than  the  opportunity for  equity  appreciation afforded  by an
investment in the Vencor Common Stock  because the amount receivable by  holders
of  the Notes upon exchange will only  exceed the principal amount of such Notes
if the price of  the Vencor Common Stock  appreciates   %  from the date of  the
Notes'  issuance. Because  the price  of the Vencor  Common Stock  is subject to
market fluctuations, the  exchange of  the Notes  into Vencor  Common Stock  may
never be in the economic best interest of the holder.

FLUCTUATION OF MARKET VALUE OF VENCOR COMMON STOCK

    It  is impossible to predict  whether the price of  Vencor Common Stock will
rise or  fall. Trading  prices of  Vencor  Common Stock  will be  influenced  by
Vencor's   operational  results  and  by  complex  and  interrelated  political,
economic, financial  and  other factors  that  can affect  the  capital  markets
generally,  the New York Stock Exchange (on which Vencor Common Stock is traded)
and the market segment of which Vencor is a part.

NO OBLIGATION ON THE PART OF VENCOR WITH RESPECT TO THE NOTES

    Vencor has no obligation with respect to the Notes or amounts to be paid  to
the  holders of the  Notes, including any obligation  to take into consideration
for any  reason the  needs of  the Company  or the  holders, other  than  normal
fiduciary  duties to Tenet as a shareholder.  Vencor will not receive any of the
proceeds  of  the  Offering  of  the  Notes  and  is  not  responsible  for  the
determination of the time of, prices for or quantities of the Notes to be issued
or  the optional redemption  of such Notes.  Accordingly, a holder  of Notes can
look only to Tenet for repayment of the Notes and will have no recourse  against
Vencor.

RESTRICTED ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS

    The  Company will  not be  obligated to exchange  on a  voluntary basis (for
example, in the context of a cash  tender offer) any of the Vencor Common  Stock
for  cash, securities  or other property.  In certain situations,  this could be
detrimental to the interests of the holders of the Notes and might require  such
holders  to exchange their Notes  for shares of Vencor  Common Stock in order to
participate in any such voluntary exchange. In certain circumstances  including,
without  limitation, a cash merger of Vencor,  it is possible that the shares of
Vencor Common Stock which theretofore might  have been received in exchange  for
the  Notes will  no longer be  available for  exchange. In such  event, only the
cash, securities or other property received  upon the exchange of the shares  of
Vencor Common Stock (exclusive of any interest or dividends payable with respect
thereto)  will be available upon  exchange of the Notes  to the holders thereof,
unless the Company were to elect to satisfy an exchange with cash.

EVENT OF BANKRUPTCY; EFFECT ON HOLDERS' ABILITY TO EXERCISE EXCHANGE RIGHTS FOR
VENCOR COMMON STOCK

    The right of  a holder to  exchange its  Notes for shares  of Vencor  Common
Stock (or other securities, property or cash) could be adversely affected in the
event    of    the    bankruptcy,    insolvency    or    liquidation    of   the

                                       10
<PAGE>
Company. In such event, the shares of Vencor Common Stock (or other  securities,
property  or cash) could be deemed to be  an asset of the Company subject to the
claims of its general creditors. See "Description of Notes -- Exchange Rights."

REGISTRATION OF VENCOR COMMON STOCK UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT

    The Company has agreed  that at any  time that a  Holder of Notes  exchanges
such  Notes for shares  of Vencor Common  Stock owned by  Tenet and an effective
registration  statement  of  Vencor  filed  with  the  Commission  (or   related
qualification  under state  blue sky  or securities  laws) would  be required in
order for the Escrow Agent to deliver such shares of Vencor Common Stock in  the
United  States or to a United States Person, the Company will use its reasonable
best efforts to ensure that an effective registration statement of Vencor is  on
file  with the Commission covering the delivery  of such shares of Vencor Common
Stock and any qualification under state blue sky or securities laws required for
such delivery is maintained and, in the event such registration statement is not
effective or such qualification is not maintained, will direct the Escrow  Agent
to  pay such  Holder cash, in  lieu of  delivering such shares  of Vencor Common
Stock, in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture.

RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES ASSOCIATED WITH VENCOR'S BUSINESS

    Prospective investors should  review Vencor's  publicly available  documents
for  a discussion  of the  risks and  uncertainties associated  with Vencor. See
"Vencor."

ABSENCE OF COVENANT PROTECTION

    The Indenture  will not  limit  the Company's  ability to  incur  additional
indebtedness,  or to grant  liens on its  assets to secure  indebtedness, to pay
dividends or to repurchase shares of  its capital stock. The Indenture does  not
contain  any provisions specifically intended to protect holders of the Notes in
the event of a future highly leveraged transaction involving the Company.

SUBORDINATION; SUBSIDIARY OPERATIONS

   
    The Notes  will be  subordinated in  right of  payment to  all existing  and
future Senior and Senior Subordinated Debt and will be structurally subordinated
to all liabilities (including trade payables) of the Company's subsidiaries. The
Indenture  will not  restrict the incurrence  of Senior  and Senior Subordinated
Debt or other indebtedness by the Company or its subsidiaries. As of October 31,
1995, on a pro forma basis after giving  effect to the issuance and sale of  the
Notes and certain other transactions, the aggregate outstanding principal amount
of  Senior  and  Senior Subordinated  Debt  would have  been  approximately $3.2
billion. See "Pro Forma Financial Information." By reason of such  subordination
of  the  Notes,  in  the  event  of  the  insolvency,  bankruptcy,  liquidation,
reorganization, dissolution or winding up of the business of the Company or upon
a default in payment with respect to any indebtedness of the Company or an event
of default  with respect  to  such indebtedness  resulting in  the  acceleration
thereof,  the assets of the Company will be  available to pay the amounts due on
the Notes only after all  Senior and Senior Subordinated  Debt has been paid  in
full.  The  Notes will  rank PARI  PASSU  in all  respects with  other unsecured
subordinated   obligations    of    the    Company.    See    "Description    of
Notes--Subordination."
    

    Since  substantially  all of  the  Company's operations  are  conducted, and
substantially all of  the assets of  Tenet are owned,  by its subsidiaries,  the
Notes (which are obligations of Tenet but not its subsidiaries) effectively will
be  subordinated to  all existing and  future obligations  and other liabilities
(including trade payables) of  Tenet's subsidiaries. Any right  of Tenet to  the
assets  of  any  of its  subsidiaries  upon the  liquidation,  reorganization or
insolvency of such subsidiary  (and the consequent right  of the holders of  the
Notes  to participate  in those  assets) will  be subject  to the  claims of the
creditors (including trade  creditors) and  preferred stockholders,  if any,  of
such  subsidiary, except to the extent Tenet has a claim against such subsidiary
as a creditor of such subsidiary. In addition, in the event that claims of Tenet
as a creditor of a subsidiary  are recognized, such claims would be  subordinate
to  any security interest in the assets  of such subsidiary and any indebtedness
of such subsidiary senior to  that held by Tenet. The  ability of Tenet and  its
subsidiaries  to  incur  certain  obligations  is  limited  by  certain  of  the
restrictive  covenants  contained   in  the   Credit  Agreement.   Additionally,
borrowings  under the Credit Agreement  are secured by a  first priority lien on
the capital  stock  of  the  Company's  direct  subsidiaries,  all  intercompany
indebtedness owed to the

                                       11
<PAGE>
Company  and one  of the  Company's subsidiaries'  equity investments,  and have
priority as to such collateral over the Notes. The Indenture will not limit  the
ability of subsidiaries of Tenet to incur additional indebtedness.

    In  addition,  Tenet's  ability  to  make  required  principal  and interest
payments with respect to Tenet's  indebtedness, including the Notes, depends  on
the earnings of its subsidiaries. Since the Notes are obligations of Tenet only,
Tenet's  subsidiaries  are not  obligated  or required  to  pay any  amounts due
pursuant to  the Notes  or  to make  funds available  therefor  in the  form  of
dividends or advances to Tenet.

CERTAIN FINANCING CONSIDERATIONS; DEGREE OF LEVERAGE MAY ADVERSELY AFFECT
OPERATIONS AND ABILITY TO PURSUE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

    As  of  August  31,  1995,  Tenet's  total  indebtedness  was  $3.5 billion,
constituting 62.5%  of  its  total capitalization,  including  short-term  debt.
Approximately  33.7% of  Tenet's total  assets as  of such  date were intangible
assets. The excess of  Tenet's liabilities over its  tangible assets as of  such
date  was  $549.1 million  at August  31,  1995. See  "Historical and  Pro Forma
Capitalization."

    Tenet's Credit Agreement  includes covenants limiting,  among other  things,
the  sale of assets,  the making of acquisitions  and other investments, capital
expenditures and the incurrence of additional debt and liens and prohibiting the
payment of  dividends, in  addition to  financial covenants  such as  a  minimum
consolidated  net worth requirement  and certain ratio  coverage tests including
debt ratios  and  fixed-charge ratios.  In  addition, the  indentures  governing
certain  Senior  and  Senior  Subordinated  Debt  include,  among  other things,
covenants limiting the incurrence of additional  debt and liens and the  payment
of dividends. Tenet's failure to comply with any of these covenants could result
in  an event of  default under its  indebtedness, including the  Notes, which in
turn could have a material adverse effect on Tenet.

    The degree to which Tenet is leveraged and the covenants described above may
adversely affect  Tenet's ability  to finance  its future  operations and  could
limit  its ability to pursue business opportunities that may be in the interests
of Tenet and its securityholders. In particular, changes in medical  technology,
existing,  proposed and  future legislation, regulations  and the interpretation
thereof, and the increasing importance of managed care contracts and  integrated
healthcare  delivery systems  may require significant  investment in facilities,
equipment, personnel or services. There can  be no assurance that Tenet will  be
able  to  obtain  the funds  necessary  to make  such  investments. Furthermore,
tax-exempt or  government-owned competitors  have certain  financial  advantages
such as endowments, charitable contributions, tax-exempt financing and exemption
from  sales, property  and income taxes  not available to  Tenet, providing them
with a potential competitive advantage in making such investments.

COMPETITION

    The healthcare industry has been characterized in recent years by  increased
competition  for  patients  and  staff physicians,  excess  capacity  at general
hospitals,  a  shift  from  inpatient  to  outpatient  settings  and   increased
consolidation.  The principal factors contributing  to these trends are advances
in  medical  technology,  cost-containment  efforts  by  managed  care   payors,
employers   and  traditional   health  insurers,  changes   in  regulations  and
reimbursement policies, increases in the number and type of competing healthcare
providers and changes  in physician  practice patterns.  Tenet's future  success
will  depend, in part, on the ability  of the Company's hospitals to continue to
attract staff physicians, to enter into  managed care contracts and to  organize
and  structure  integrated  healthcare delivery  systems  with  other healthcare
providers and physician practice groups. There can be no assurance that  Tenet's
hospitals  will  continue to  be able,  on  terms favorable  to the  Company, to
attract physicians to their staffs, to  enter into managed care contracts or  to
organize  and structure integrated healthcare  delivery systems, for which other
healthcare companies  with  greater financial  resources  or a  wider  range  of
services may be competing.

    Tenet's ability to continue to compete successfully for such contracts or to
form  or participate in such  systems also may depend  upon, among other things,
Tenet's ability to increase  the number of its  facilities and services  offered
through  the  acquisition of  hospitals, groups  of hospitals,  other healthcare
businesses, ancillary healthcare  providers, physician  practices and  physician
practice assets and Tenet's ability to finance

                                       12
<PAGE>
such  acquisitions. There  can be no  assurance that  suitable acquisitions, for
which other healthcare companies with greater financial resources than Tenet may
be competing, can be accomplished on terms favorable to Tenet or that financing,
if necessary, can be  obtained for such  acquisitions. See "--Certain  Financing
Considerations;  Leverage." There can be no assurance that Tenet will be able to
operate profitably any hospitals, facilities, businesses or other assets it  may
acquire,  effectively integrate the operations of such acquisitions or otherwise
achieve the intended benefits of such acquisitions.

LIMITS ON REIMBURSEMENT

    Tenet derives  a substantial  portion  of its  net operating  revenues  from
third-party  payors, including  the Medicare  and Medicaid  programs. Changes in
government reimbursement programs have resulted in limitations on increases  in,
and  in some cases in reduced  levels of, reimbursement for healthcare services,
and additional changes  are anticipated. Such  changes are likely  to result  in
further  limitations  on  reimbursement  levels.  In  addition,  private payors,
including  managed  care  payors,  increasingly  are  demanding  discounted  fee
structures  or the assumption by healthcare providers of all or a portion of the
financial risk through prepaid  capitation arrangements. Inpatient  utilization,
average  lengths of stay and occupancy  rates continue to be negatively affected
by payor-required  pre-admission authorization  and  utilization review  and  by
payor  pressure  to  maximize  outpatient  and  alternative  healthcare delivery
services for less acutely ill patients.  In addition, efforts to impose  reduced
allowances, greater discounts and more stringent cost controls by government and
other  payors are expected to continue. Although  Tenet is unable to predict the
effect these changes  will have  on its operations,  as the  number of  patients
covered  by managed  care payors increases,  significant limits on  the scope of
services reimbursed and on  reimbursement rates and fees  could have a  material
adverse effect on the financial results of such operations.

EXTENSIVE REGULATION

    The  healthcare industry  is subject to  extensive Federal,  state and local
regulation  relating  to   licensure,  conduct  of   operations,  ownership   of
facilities,  addition of  facilities and  services and  prices for  services. In
particular, Medicare and Medicaid antifraud and abuse amendments codified  under
Section  1128B(b)  of  the  Social  Security  Act  (the  "Antifraud Amendments")
prohibit certain  business practices  and relationships  that might  affect  the
provision  and  cost  of  healthcare services  reimbursable  under  Medicare and
Medicaid, including the payment or receipt  of remuneration for the referral  of
patients  whose care will be paid for  by Medicare or other government programs.
Sanctions for violating the Antifraud Amendments include criminal penalties  and
civil  sanctions, including fines  and possible exclusion  from the Medicare and
Medicaid programs. Pursuant  to the  Medicare and Medicaid  Patient and  Program
Protection  Act of 1987, the Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS") has
issued regulations that describe some of the conduct and business  relationships
permissible  under the  Antifraud Amendments ("Safe  Harbors"). The  fact that a
given business arrangement does  not fall within a  Safe Harbor does not  render
the  arrangement  per se  illegal. Business  arrangements of  healthcare service
providers that fail  to satisfy  the applicable Safe  Harbor criteria,  however,
risk  increased scrutiny by  enforcement authorities. Because  Tenet may be less
willing than some of its competitors to enter into business arrangements that do
not clearly satisfy the Safe Harbors, it could be at a competitive  disadvantage
in entering into certain transactions and arrangements with physicians and other
healthcare providers.

    In  addition,  Section  1877 of  the  Social Security  Act,  which restricts
referrals by physicians  of Medicare  and other  government-program patients  to
providers  of a broad range  of designated health services  with which they have
ownership or certain other financial arrangements, was amended effective January
1, 1995, to significantly  broaden the scope  of prohibited physician  referrals
under  the  Medicare and  Medicaid programs  to providers  with which  they have
ownership  or   certain  other   financial  arrangements   (the   "Self-Referral
Prohibitions").  Many states have adopted or are considering similar legislative
proposals, some of  which extend  beyond the  Medicaid program  to prohibit  the
payment  or receipt of  remuneration for the referral  of patients and physician
self-referrals regardless of  the source of  the payment for  the care.  Tenet's
participation   in  and  development  of  joint  ventures  and  other  financial
relationships with physicians  could be adversely  affected by these  amendments
and similar state enactments.

                                       13
<PAGE>
    Certificates  of  Need,  which  are  issued  by  governmental  agencies with
jurisdiction over  healthcare  facilities, are  at  times required  for  capital
expenditures  exceeding a prescribed amount, changes in bed capacity or services
and certain other matters. Following a number of years of decline, the number of
states requiring  Certificates  of Need  is  once again  on  the rise  as  state
legislators  once again are looking at the  Certificate of Need process as a way
to contain rising healthcare costs. At August 31, 1995, Tenet operated hospitals
in eight states that require state approval under Certificate of Need  programs.
Tenet is unable to predict whether it will be able to obtain any Certificates of
Need in any jurisdiction where such Certificates of Need are required.

    Tenet  is unable to  predict the future  course of Federal,  state and local
regulation  or  legislation,  including  Medicare  and  Medicaid  statutes   and
regulations.  Further changes in the regulatory  framework could have a material
adverse effect on the financial results of Tenet's operations.

HEALTHCARE REFORM LEGISLATION

    Healthcare, as one of the largest industries in the United States, continues
to attract much legislative interest  and public attention. Medicare,  Medicaid,
mandatory  and  other  public and  private  hospital  cost-containment programs,
proposals to limit healthcare spending,  proposals to limit prices and  industry
competitive factors are highly significant to the healthcare industry.

    There  continue to  be Federal and  state proposals that  would, and actions
that do, impose more limitations on government and private payments to providers
such as Tenet and proposals to increase co-payments and deductibles from program
and private  patients. In  addition,  a number  of  states are  considering  the
enactment  of managed  care initiatives  designed to  provide universal low-cost
coverage and/or additional  taxes on  hospitals to  help finance  or expand  the
states'  Medicaid  systems. Tenet's  facilities  also are  affected  by controls
imposed by  government and  private  payors designed  to reduce  admissions  and
lengths  of  stay. Such  controls,  including what  is  commonly referred  to as
"utilization  review,"  have  resulted  in  fewer  of  certain  treatments   and
procedures  being  performed.  Utilization  review  entails  the  review  of the
admission and course  of treatment of  a patient by  a third party.  Utilization
review  by  third-party  peer  review  organizations  ("PROs")  is  required  in
connection with  the  provision of  care  paid  for by  Medicare  and  Medicaid.
Utilization  review by third parties also is  a requirement of many managed care
arrangements. Tenet cannot  predict whether any  of the above  proposals or  any
other  proposals will be adopted, and if adopted, no assurance can be given that
the implementation of such  reforms will not have  a material adverse effect  on
Tenet's business.

CERTAIN LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

    Tenet  has  been  involved  in  certain  significant  legal  proceedings and
investigations related  principally to  its discontinued  psychiatric  business.
These  proceedings  and  investigations  include  class  action  and  derivative
lawsuits by certain stockholders, psychiatric patient litigation alleging  fraud
and  conspiracy, certain  lawsuits filed by  third-party private-payor insurance
companies and investigations by  various state and  Federal agencies. Tenet  (i)
has reached agreements with the United States Department of Justice (the "DOJ"),
HHS  and the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") resolving all
Federal healthcare and  related disclosure  investigations of  the Company  (but
various  government  agencies are  continuing  to pursue  investigations against
certain individuals),  (ii)  has  reached  an agreement  with  the  District  of
Columbia  and all states where  Tenet's psychiatric facilities received Medicaid
payments, settling all potential state claims  related to the matters that  were
the  subject of  the Federal investigations,  (iii) has  resolved the litigation
between Tenet and  the insurers, (iv)  has reached an  agreement to resolve  the
shareholder  derivative lawsuit, which agreement has been preliminarily approved
by the court and is scheduled for a hearing concerning final approval in January
1996, (v) has reached an agreement to  settle one of the class action  lawsuits,
In  re  National  Medical  Enterprises,  Inc.  Securities  Litigation  I,  which
settlement was  approved by  the court  in September  1995, and  (vi)  continues
efforts  to resolve the cases brought  by individual psychiatric patients. Tenet
continues to experience a  greater than normal level  of litigation relating  to
its  former psychiatric operations.  The majority of  the lawsuits filed contain
allegations of  fraud and  conspiracy against  the Company  and certain  of  its
subsidiaries and former employees. Among the suits filed during fiscal 1995 were
two    lawsuits    in   Texas    aggregating   approximately    760   individual

                                       14
<PAGE>
plaintiffs who are purported to have been patients in certain Texas  psychiatric
facilities  and  a number  of lawsuits  filed  in the  District of  Columbia. In
addition, a purported class action was filed  in Texas state court in May  1995.
Tenet   expects  that  additional  lawsuits  of   this  nature  will  be  filed,
particularly because certain lawyers are advertising seeking former  psychiatric
patients  in  order  to ascertain  whether  potential claims  exist  against the
Company. Tenet's reserves  for unusual litigation  costs represent  management's
estimate  of  the  costs  of the  defense  of  these matters.  There  can  be no
assurance, however, that the ultimate liability will not exceed such  estimates.
In  the event such reserves are not adequate, the adverse determination of these
matters could have  a material  adverse effect on  Tenet's financial  condition.
Although,  based upon information currently available to it, management believes
that the amount  of damages  in excess of  the reserves  for unusual  litigation
costs  that  may be  awarded in  these matters  cannot reasonably  be estimated,
management does not believe it is likely that any damages awarded in such  legal
proceedings  will have  a material  adverse effect  on the  Company's results of
operations, liquidity or capital resources. See also
"-- Professional and General Liability Insurance."

    In its  agreements  with the  DOJ  and HHS,  Tenet  agreed to  maintain  its
previously  established ethics  program and  ethics hotline  and also  agreed to
implement certain additional compliance-related oversight procedures. Should the
hotline or oversight procedures reveal,  after investigation by Tenet,  credible
evidence of violations of criminal, or material violations of civil, laws, rules
or  regulations governing Federally funded programs, Tenet is required to report
any such violation to the  DOJ and HHS. As a  result of the existing  agreements
with  the DOJ  and HHS  and the recent  legal proceedings  and investigations in
which Tenet has been involved, Tenet  is subject to increased Federal and  state
regulatory  scrutiny  and, in  the  event that  Tenet  violates such  decrees or
engages in conduct that  violates Federal or state  laws, rules or  regulations,
Tenet  may be subject to a risk  of increased sanctions or penalties, including,
but not  limited to,  partial  or complete  disqualification  as a  provider  of
Medicare or Medicaid services.

INCOME TAX EXAMINATIONS

    The  Internal  Revenue Service  (the "IRS")  currently is  examining Tenet's
Federal income tax returns for  fiscal years 1986 through  1990 and has not  yet
begun  examining  any  returns  for subsequent  years  (collectively,  the "Open
Years"). Although the IRS has not  proposed any material adjustments to  Tenet's
returns  in the Open  Years, there can  be no assurance  that significant issues
will not  be  raised.  While  Tenet  has no  reason  to  believe  that  the  tax
liabilities  it has recorded will be inadequate,  if audits of the Open Years or
fiscal 1995,  for  which  Tenet has  not  yet  filed a  tax  return,  result  in
determinations  significantly  in  excess of  such  reserves,  Tenet's financial
condition  could  be  materially   adversely  affected.  Although,  based   upon
information  currently available to it,  management believes that any additional
income tax liabilities that might be due as a result of any of the foregoing IRS
examinations cannot reasonably be estimated,  management does not believe it  is
likely that any tax liabilities resulting from such IRS examinations will have a
material  adverse effect  on the Company's  results of  operations, liquidity or
capital resources.

DEPENDENCE ON KEY PERSONNEL AND PHYSICIANS

    Tenet's operations are dependent on  the efforts, ability and experience  of
its  key executive officers. Tenet's continued  growth depends on its ability to
attract and retain  skilled employees, on  the ability of  its officers and  key
employees  to manage growth  successfully and on Tenet's  ability to attract and
retain physicians at  its hospitals. In  addition, the success  of Tenet is,  in
part,  dependent upon the  number, specialties and quality  of physicians on its
hospitals'  medical  staffs,  most  of   whom  have  no  long-term   contractual
relationship  with  Tenet  and  may  terminate  their  association  with Tenet's
hospitals at any time. The loss of  some or all of these key executive  officers
or  an inability to attract or retain sufficient numbers of qualified physicians
could have a material adverse impact on Tenet's future results of operations.

PROFESSIONAL AND GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE

    The Company insures substantially all of its professional and  comprehensive
general  liability risks  in excess  of self-insured  retentions, which  vary by
hospital from  $500,000 to  $3.0 million  per occurrence,  through an  insurance
company  owned by several healthcare  companies and in which  the Company has an
approximately 77% equity interest. A significant  portion of these risks is,  in
turn,  reinsured  with major  independent insurance  companies. Through  May 31,
1994, the Company insured its professional and

                                       15
<PAGE>
comprehensive general liability  risks related to  its psychiatric and  physical
rehabilitation  hospitals  through its  wholly  owned insurance  subsidiary that
reinsured  risks  in  excess  of  $500,000  with  major  independent   insurance
companies.  The Company has reached the policy limits provided by this insurance
subsidiary related to the psychiatric  hospitals in certain years. In  addition,
damages,  if  any,  arising  from fraud  and  conspiracy  claims  in psychiatric
malpractice cases may not be insured. If actual payments of claims with  respect
to Tenet's self-insured liabilities exceed projected payments of claims, Tenet's
financial condition could be materially adversely affected.

POSSIBLE INABILITY TO REPURCHASE NOTES UPON A CHANGE OF CONTROL OF TENET

    Under  the terms of the Credit Agreement, the prepayment of debt (other than
debt under  the Credit  Agreement) will  result in  a default  under the  Credit
Agreement  and, accordingly,  Tenet effectively is  prohibited from repurchasing
Notes upon  the  occurrence  of  a  Change  of  Control  Triggering  Event.  The
indentures governing certain Senior and Senior Subordinated Debt contain similar
terms  that may effectively prohibit the repurchase of Notes upon the occurrence
of a Change of Control Triggering Event.  Accordingly, Tenet may not be able  to
satisfy  its  obligations  to  repurchase  the Notes  unless  Tenet  is  able to
refinance or obtain  waivers with respect  to the Credit  Agreement and  certain
other indebtedness. There can be no assurance that Tenet will have the financial
resources to repurchase the Notes in the event of a Change of Control Triggering
Event, particularly if such Change of Control Triggering Event requires Tenet to
refinance,   or  results  in  the   acceleration  of,  other  indebtedness.  See
"Description of Notes."

    The change of control provisions of the Indenture will obligate the  Company
to  repurchase Notes  at the  option of  the holder  thereof in  the event Tenet
incurs additional leverage through certain types of recapitalizations, leveraged
buy-outs or similar  transactions that  could increase the  indebtedness of  the
Company  or decrease  the value  of the Notes;  PROVIDED, HOWEVER,  that, if the
Company does  not experience  a Rating  Decline (as  defined herein)  after  the
public  notice of its intent to enter  into such a transaction, the Company will
not be obligated to undertake a Change of Control Offer (as defined herein).

    Substantially all of the Senior and Senior Subordinated Debt of the Company,
approximately $3.1 billion in aggregate principal amount on a pro forma basis as
of August 31, 1995,  has similar change of  control or cross-default  provisions
which  effectively would decrease the amount  of funds available for the Company
to purchase the Notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer.

NO PRIOR PUBLIC MARKET

    Although the  Notes have  been  approved for  listing, subject  to  official
notice  of  issuance, on  the NYSE,  the Notes  will constitute  a new  issue of
securities with no established trading market.  The Company has been advised  by
the   Underwriters  that,  following  the   completion  of  this  Offering,  the
Underwriters presently intend  to make  a market in  the Notes  as permitted  by
applicable  laws  and  regulations.  The  Underwriters,  however,  are  under no
obligation to do so and may discontinue any market-making activities at any time
at the sole discretion of the Underwriters. There can be no assurance as to  the
liquidity  of the market that may develop  for the Notes, the ability of holders
of the Notes to sell their Notes or the prices at which holders would be able to
sell their Notes. The Notes  could trade at prices that  may be higher or  lower
than  the initial  offering price thereof  depending on  many factors, including
prevailing interest rates, the Company's  operating results and the markets  for
similar securities. See "Underwriting."

                                       16
<PAGE>
                                USE OF PROCEEDS

    The  net proceeds to Tenet  from the sale of the  Notes in this Offering are
estimated to be approximately $     million (after deducting estimated  expenses
and  underwriting discounts and  commissions). Tenet intends to  use all of such
net proceeds  to  repay secured  indebtedness  outstanding under  the  Company's
Credit Agreement with the approximate amounts, interest rates and maturity dates
set  forth below. Approximately $62.0 million will be used to repay indebtedness
that currently bears interest at 7.25%  and is due in 2001; approximately  $60.8
million  will be  used to  repay indebtedness  that currently  bears interest at
7.125% and is due in 2001; and the remainder will be used to repay  indebtedness
that currently bears interest at 7.125% and is due in 2000.

                    HISTORICAL AND PRO FORMA CAPITALIZATION

    The  following table  sets forth the  capitalization of Tenet  at August 31,
1995 and as adjusted to give effect to the consummation of this Offering and  to
the  application  of  the net  proceeds  therefrom  as described  under  "Use of
Proceeds" and  certain  other transactions  described  herein under  "Pro  Forma
Financial Information."

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                   AS OF AUGUST 31, 1995
                                                                                  ------------------------
                                                                                                PRO FORMA
                                                                                  HISTORICAL   AS ADJUSTED
                                                                                  -----------  -----------
<S>                                                                               <C>          <C>
Current portion of long-term debt...............................................   $   276.6    $   276.6
Short-term borrowings and notes.................................................         2.1          2.1
                                                                                  -----------  -----------
    Total current debt..........................................................   $   278.7    $   278.7
                                                                                  -----------  -----------
                                                                                  -----------  -----------
Long-term debt, net of current portion:
  Credit Agreement..............................................................   $ 1,765.0    $   844.0
  Senior Notes due 2002.........................................................       300.0        300.0
  Senior Notes due 2003.........................................................      --            500.0
  Other debt (1)................................................................       261.1        261.1
  Senior Subordinated Notes due 2005............................................       900.0        900.0
  Exchangeable Subordinated Notes due 2005......................................      --            350.0
                                                                                  -----------  -----------
    Total long-term debt .......................................................     3,226.1      3,155.1
                                                                                  -----------  -----------
Shareholders' equity:
  Common stock, par value $0.075, authorized 450,000,000 shares; issued
   218,713,406 shares (2).......................................................        16.4         16.4
  Other shareholders' equity....................................................     2,359.5      2,461.2(3)
  Less treasury stock, at cost, 18,660,394 shares...............................      (270.0)      (270.0)
                                                                                  -----------  -----------
    Total shareholders' equity..................................................     2,105.9      2,207.6
                                                                                  -----------  -----------
  Total capitalization..........................................................   $ 5,332.0    $ 5,362.7
                                                                                  -----------  -----------
                                                                                  -----------  -----------
<FN>
- --------------------------
(1)  Includes  several series  of medium-term  notes, certain  other secured and
     unsecured notes payable, mortgage notes and capitalized lease  obligations,
     net  of the unamortized discount on the Company's Senior Notes due 2002 and
     Senior Subordinated Notes due 2005.
(2)  Does not  include 36,405,015  shares  of Tenet  Common Stock  reserved  for
     issuance  at August 31, 1995, upon exchange of Tenet options and conversion
     of outstanding securities of Tenet.
(3)  The increase in other shareholders' equity on a pro forma basis consists of
     a net gain of $101.7 million recognized in connection with the exchange  of
     Hillhaven  Common Stock for Vencor Common Stock in connection with Vencor's
     acquisition of  Hillhaven and  the  redemption for  cash of  the  Hillhaven
     Series   C  and  Series  D  Preferred   Stock.  See  "Pro  Forma  Financial
     Information."
</TABLE>

                       RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

    The following table sets  forth the ratio of  earnings to fixed charges  for
the  Company on an historical basis for the year ended May 31, 1995, each of the
preceding four years ended May 31, and for the three-month periods ended  August
31, 1994 and 1995.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                  THREE MONTHS ENDED
                                                      YEAR ENDED MAY 31,              AUGUST 31,
                                               --------------------------------   ------------------
                                               1991   1992   1993   1994   1995    1994        1995
                                               ----   ----   ----   ----   ----   ------      ------
<S>                                            <C>    <C>    <C>    <C>    <C>    <C>         <C>
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges (1).......  2.3x   3.5x   4.3x   4.2x   2.7x     5.0x        3.4x
<FN>
- --------------------------
(1)  For  the purpose of  calculating such ratios,  "earnings" consist of income
     from continuing  operations before  income taxes  plus fixed  charges,  and
     "fixed  charges" consist of  interest expense, net  of capitalized portion;
     capitalized interest; amortization of  debt offering expenses and  discount
     or premium and that portion of rents representative of interest.
</TABLE>

                                       17
<PAGE>
                        PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION

    The  Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements give effect
to the following transactions and events as  if they had occurred as of June  1,
1994  for purposes of the pro forma  statement of operations and other operating
information and on August 31, 1995 for  purposes of the pro forma balance  sheet
data:  (i) the August 1994 sale of approximately 75% of the common stock of TRC;
(ii) the  elimination of  restructuring  charges recorded  by Tenet;  (iii)  the
elimination  of  nonrecurring gains  on  disposals of  facilities  and long-term
investments recorded by Tenet; (iv) the elimination of nonrecurring merger costs
recorded by AMH prior  to the Merger; (v)  the Merger and related  transactions,
applying   the  purchase  method   of  accounting;  (vi)   the  acquisitions  of
Mercy+Baptist and Providence;  (vii) the  June 28,  1995 sale  of the  Company's
Mount  Elizabeth Hospital, East Shore Hospital and related healthcare businesses
in Singapore as well as  the October 3, 1995 sale  of the Company's holdings  in
Malaysia,  the October 15, 1995 sale of  the Company's holdings in Australia and
the probable sale of the Company's holdings in Thailand, which sale currently is
pending; (viii) Vencor's acquisition of Hillhaven; (ix) the consummation of  the
Senior Notes Offering and (x) the consummation of this Offering.

    The  Unaudited  Pro Forma  Condensed  Combined Financial  Statements  do not
purport to present the financial position or results of operations of Tenet  had
the transactions and events assumed therein occurred on the dates specified, nor
are  they  necessarily  indicative of  the  results  of operations  that  may be
achieved in the future.

    The following Unaudited  Pro Forma Condensed  Combined Financial  Statements
for  the quarter ended  August 31, 1994 and  the year ended May  31, 1995 do not
reflect certain  cost savings  that management  believes may  be realized  as  a
result  of the  Merger, currently  estimated to  be approximately  $60.0 million
annually beginning  in fiscal  1996  (before any  severance  or other  costs  of
implementing  certain efficiencies). These  savings are expected  to be realized
primarily through the  elimination of duplicative  corporate overhead  expenses,
reduced   supplies  expense  through  the  incorporation  of  the  acquired  AMH
facilities into the Company's group purchasing program, and improved  collection
of  the acquired AMH facilities' accounts  receivable. No assurances can be made
as to the amount of cost savings, if any, that actually will be realized.

    The Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements are based on
certain assumptions  and adjustments  described in  the Notes  to Unaudited  Pro
Forma  Condensed Combined  Financial Statements  included in  the Prospectus and
should be read  in conjunction  therewith and with  Management's Discussion  and
Analysis  and the  Consolidated Financial  Statements of  Tenet and  the related
Notes thereto incorporated by reference herein.

    Tenet reports its  financial information  on the basis  of a  May 31  fiscal
year. AMH reported its financial information on the basis of an August 31 fiscal
year.

                                       18
<PAGE>
                 TENET HEALTHCARE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
              UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED BALANCE SHEET
                             (DOLLARS IN MILLIONS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                         AS OF AUGUST 31, 1995
                                                -----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                             INTERNATIONAL     VENCOR'S
                                                              PROVIDENCE      OPERATIONS      ACQUISITION
                                                HISTORICAL    ACQUISITION      DIVESTED      OF HILLHAVEN       THE       PRO FORMA
                                                   TENET          (A)             (B)             (C)        OFFERINGS   AS ADJUSTED
                                                -----------  -------------  ---------------  -------------  -----------  -----------
<S>                                             <C>          <C>            <C>              <C>            <C>          <C>
ASSETS

Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents...................   $   106.4     $  --           $  --           $    91.8     $  --        $   106.4
                                                                                                   (91.8)
  Short-term investments, at cost which
   approximates market........................       135.6                                                                    135.6
  Accounts and notes receivable, less
   allowance for doubtful accounts............       601.8                                                                    601.8
  Inventories of supplies, at cost............       119.9           1.5                                                      121.4
  Deferred income taxes.......................       303.1                                                                    303.1
  Assets held for sale........................       124.5                         (95.6)                                      28.9
  Prepaid expenses and other current assets...        50.4           1.9                                                       52.3
                                                -----------       ------          ------          ------    -----------  -----------
    Total current assets......................     1,441.7           3.4           (95.6)                                   1,349.5
Investments and other assets..................       370.0                                          92.6                      462.6
Property, plant and equipment, net............     3,418.0          87.0                                                    3,505.0
Intangible assets, at cost less accumulated
 amortization.................................     2,655.0          28.0                                          13.3(d)    2,706.3
                                                                                                                  10.0(e)
                                                -----------       ------          ------          ------    -----------  -----------
                                                 $ 7,884.7     $   118.4       $   (95.6)      $    92.6     $    23.3    $ 8,023.4
                                                -----------       ------          ------          ------    -----------  -----------
                                                -----------       ------          ------          ------    -----------  -----------

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

Current liabilities:
  Current portion of long-term debt...........   $   276.6     $  --           $  --           $  --         $  --        $   276.6
  Short-term borrowings and notes.............         2.1                                                                      2.1
  Accounts payable............................       258.2           9.7                                                      267.9
  Employee compensation and benefits..........       161.2                                                                    161.2
  Reserves related to discontinued
   operations.................................        66.3                                                                     66.3
  Income taxes payable........................         2.1                                                                      2.1
  Other current liabilities...................       490.7          13.4             5.5                                      509.6
                                                -----------       ------          ------          ------    -----------  -----------
    Total current liabilities.................     1,257.2          23.1             5.5                                    1,285.8
Long-term debt, net of current portion........     3,226.1          80.3          (101.1)          (73.5)        500.0(d)    3,155.1
                                                                                                                (486.7)(d)
                                                                                                                 350.0(e)
                                                                                                                (340.0)(e)
Other long-term liabilities and minority
 interests....................................       988.5          15.0                                                    1,003.5
Deferred income taxes.........................       307.0                                          64.4                      371.4
Shareholders' equity:
  Common stock................................        16.4                                                                     16.4
  Other shareholders' equity..................     2,359.5                                         101.7                    2,461.2
  Less common stock in treasury, at cost......      (270.0)                                                                  (270.0)
                                                -----------       ------          ------          ------    -----------  -----------
    Total shareholders' equity................     2,105.9        --              --               101.7        --          2,207.6
                                                -----------       ------          ------          ------    -----------  -----------
                                                 $ 7,884.7     $   118.4       $   (95.6)      $    92.6     $    23.3    $ 8,023.4
                                                -----------       ------          ------          ------    -----------  -----------
                                                -----------       ------          ------          ------    -----------  -----------
</TABLE>

   See Notes to Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements.

                                       19
<PAGE>
                          TENET HEALTHCARE CORPORATION
         UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
                        FOR THE YEAR ENDED MAY 31, 1995
           (DOLLARS IN MILLIONS EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS AND RATIOS)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               HISTORICAL
                                               TENET YEAR      HISTORICAL
                                                 ENDED          AMH NINE           TENET          AMH        TENET/AMH
                                                MAY 31,       MONTHS ENDED      ADJUSTMENTS   ADJUSTMENTS     MERGER
                                                  1995      FEBRUARY 28, 1995       (F)           (G)       ADJUSTMENTS
                                               ----------   -----------------   -----------   -----------   -----------
<S>                                            <C>          <C>                 <C>           <C>           <C>
Net operating revenues.......................   $3,318.4        $1,938.3          $(16.6)       $--         $ --
Operating expenses:
  Salaries and benefits......................    1,366.8           716.2            (5.9)
  Supplies...................................      431.5           280.3
  Provision for doubtful accounts............      137.5           138.5            (0.4)
  Other operating expenses...................      759.2           492.6            (6.8)        (73.9)
  Depreciation...............................      164.4            93.9            (0.6)                     (16.9)(j)
  Amortization...............................       30.6            29.5            (0.2)                      17.3(l)
  Restructuring charges......................       36.9         --                (36.9)
                                               ----------       --------        -----------   -----------   -----------
Operating income.............................      391.5           187.3            34.2          73.9         (0.4)
Interest expense, net of capitalized
 portion.....................................     (138.1)         (120.2)          --                         (76.6)(n)
Investment earnings..........................       27.5             2.6           --                          (3.2)(r)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated
 affiliates..................................       28.4         --                 (0.1)
Minority interest in income of consolidated
 subsidiaries................................       (9.4)           (3.3)            0.4
Net gain on disposals of facilities and long-
 term investments............................       29.5         --                (29.5)
                                               ----------       --------        -----------   -----------   -----------
Income from continuing operations before
 income taxes................................      329.4            66.4             5.0          73.9        (80.2)
Taxes on income..............................     (135.0)          (41.3)           (2.0)        (18.7)        24.5(s)
                                               ----------       --------        -----------   -----------   -----------
Income from continuing operations............   $  194.4        $   25.1          $  3.0        $ 55.2      $ (55.7)
                                               ----------       --------        -----------   -----------   -----------
                                               ----------       --------        -----------   -----------   -----------
Earnings per common share from continuing
 operations, fully diluted...................   $   1.06
                                               ----------
                                               ----------
Weighted average number of shares
 outstanding, fully diluted (in 000's).......    190,139                                                     24,799(u)
                                               ----------                                                   -----------
                                               ----------                                                   -----------
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges...........        2.7x
                                               ----------
                                               ----------

<CAPTION>
                                                                                           VENCOR'S
                                                             GENERAL      INTERNATIONAL   ACQUISITION
                                                             HOSPITAL      OPERATIONS         OF
                                               TENET/AMH   ACQUISITIONS     DIVESTED      HILLHAVEN     PRO FORMA    PRO FORMA

                                               COMBINED        (H)             (I)           (C)       ADJUSTMENTS   COMBINED

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

<S>                                            <C>         <C>            <C>             <C>          <C>           <C>
Net operating revenues.......................  $5,240.1       $370.0         $(203.4)       $--        $ --          $5,406.7

Operating expenses:
  Salaries and benefits......................   2,077.1        170.8           (80.7)                                 2,167.2

  Supplies...................................     711.8         85.4           (17.8)                                   779.4

  Provision for doubtful accounts............     275.6         23.9            (0.9)                                   298.6

  Other operating expenses...................   1,171.1         39.5           (51.1)                                 1,159.5

  Depreciation...............................     240.8         26.5           (14.0)                   (13.6)(k)       239.7

  Amortization...............................      77.2       --                (1.9)                     2.2(m)         77.5

  Restructuring charges......................     --          --              --                                        --

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

Operating income.............................     686.5         23.9           (37.0)                    11.4           684.8

Interest expense, net of capitalized
 portion.....................................    (334.9)        (7.1)            5.8                      7.1(o)       (320.0)

                                                                                                         29.4(p)
                                                                                                        (20.3)(q)
Investment earnings..........................      26.9       --                (0.8)         (6.8)                      19.3

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated
 affiliates..................................      28.3       --                (0.6)        (15.9)                      11.8

Minority interest in income of consolidated
 subsidiaries................................     (12.3)      --                 6.4                                     (5.9)

Net gain on disposals of facilities and long-
 term investments............................     --          --              --                                        --

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

Income from continuing operations before
 income taxes................................     394.5         16.8           (26.2)        (22.7)      27.6           390.0

Taxes on income..............................    (172.5)                        10.4           6.6      (17.3)(t)      (172.8)

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

Income from continuing operations............  $  222.0       $ 16.8         $ (15.8)       $(16.1)    $ 10.3        $  217.2

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

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

Earnings per common share from continuing
 operations, fully diluted...................                                                                        $   1.05

                                                                                                                     ---------

                                                                                                                     ---------

Weighted average number of shares
 outstanding, fully diluted (in 000's).......                                                                         214,938

                                                                                                                     ---------

                                                                                                                     ---------

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges...........                                                                             2.0x

                                                                                                                     ---------

                                                                                                                     ---------

</TABLE>

   See Notes to Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements.

                                       20
<PAGE>
                          TENET HEALTHCARE CORPORATION
         UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
                     FOR THE QUARTER ENDED AUGUST 31, 1994
           (DOLLARS IN MILLIONS EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS AND RATIOS)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                HISTORICAL        HISTORICAL
                                               TENET QUARTER      AMH QUARTER
                                                   ENDED             ENDED            TENET       TENET/AMH
                                                AUGUST 31,        AUGUST 31,       ADJUSTMENTS     MERGER
                                                   1994              1994              (F)       ADJUSTMENTS
                                               -------------   -----------------   -----------   -----------
<S>                                            <C>             <C>                 <C>           <C>
Net operating revenues.......................   $     662.8        $  638.2          $(16.6)       $--
Operating expenses:
  Salaries and benefits......................         283.2           234.0            (5.9)
  Supplies...................................          80.6            92.1
  Provision for doubtful accounts............          26.1            47.4            (0.4)
  Other operating expenses...................         150.1           137.8            (6.8)
  Depreciation...............................          34.3            30.9            (0.6)         (5.6)(j)
  Amortization...............................           3.6            10.0            (0.2)          5.7(l)
                                               -------------         ------        -----------   -----------
Operating income.............................          84.9            86.0            (2.7)         (0.1)
Interest expense, net of capitalized
 portion.....................................         (17.7)          (40.0)                        (25.5)(n)
Investment earnings..........................           6.0             0.8                          (1.1)(r)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated
 affiliates..................................           6.3                            (0.1)
Minority interest expense in income of
 consolidated subsidiaries...................          (2.0)           (0.9)            0.4
Net gain on disposals of facilities and
 long-term investments.......................          29.5                           (29.5)
                                               -------------         ------        -----------   -----------
Income from continuing operations before
 income taxes................................         107.0            45.9           (31.9)        (26.7)
Taxes on income..............................         (43.0)          (19.0)           12.4           8.2(s)
                                               -------------         ------        -----------   -----------
Income from continuing operations............   $      64.0        $   26.9          $(19.5)       $(18.5)
                                               -------------         ------        -----------   -----------
                                               -------------         ------        -----------   -----------
Earnings per common share from continuing
 operations, fully diluted...................   $      0.36
                                               -------------
                                               -------------
Weighted average number of shares
 outstanding, fully diluted (in 000's).......       180,153                                        33,157(u)
                                               -------------                                     -----------
                                               -------------                                     -----------
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges...........           5.0x
                                               -------------
                                               -------------

<CAPTION>
                                                                                           VENCOR'S
                                                             GENERAL      INTERNATIONAL   ACQUISITION
                                                             HOSPITAL      OPERATIONS         OF
                                               TENET/AMH   ACQUISITIONS     DIVESTED      HILLHAVEN     PRO FORMA    PRO FORMA

                                               COMBINED        (H)             (I)           (C)       ADJUSTMENTS   COMBINED

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

<S>                                            <C>         <C>            <C>             <C>          <C>           <C>
Net operating revenues.......................  $1,284.4       $ 92.5         $ (49.5)       $--        $ --          $1,327.4

Operating expenses:
  Salaries and benefits......................     511.3         42.7           (20.3)                                   533.7

  Supplies...................................     172.7         21.4            (4.5)                                   189.6

  Provision for doubtful accounts............      73.1          6.0            (0.2)                                    78.9

  Other operating expenses...................     281.1          9.9           (11.8)                                   279.2

  Depreciation...............................      59.0          6.6            (3.2)                    (3.4)(k)        59.0

  Amortization...............................      19.1                         (0.5)                     0.6(m)         19.2

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

Operating income.............................     168.1          5.9            (9.0)                     2.8           167.8

Interest expense, net of capitalized
 portion.....................................     (83.2)        (1.8)            1.9                      1.8(o)        (79.1)

                                                                                                          7.3(p)
                                                                                                         (5.1)(q)
Investment earnings..........................       5.7                         (0.3)         (1.2)                       4.2

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated
 affiliates..................................       6.2                         (0.1)         (3.2)                       2.9

Minority interest expense in income of
 consolidated subsidiaries...................      (2.5)                         1.7                                     (0.8)

Net gain on disposals of facilities and
 long-term investments.......................
                                               ---------       -----          ------         -----      -----        ---------

Income from continuing operations before
 income taxes................................      94.3          4.1            (5.8)         (4.4)       6.8            95.0

Taxes on income..............................     (41.4)                         1.9           1.3       (4.3)(t)       (42.5)

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

Income from continuing operations............  $   52.9       $  4.1         $  (3.9)       $ (3.1)    $  2.5        $   52.5

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

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

Earnings per common share from continuing
 operations, fully diluted...................  $   0.26                                                              $   0.25

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

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

Weighted average number of shares
 outstanding, fully diluted (in 000's).......   213,310                                                               213,310

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

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

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges...........                                                                             2.0x

                                                                                                                     ---------

                                                                                                                     ---------

</TABLE>

   See Notes to Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements.

                                       21
<PAGE>
                          TENET HEALTHCARE CORPORATION
         UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
                     FOR THE QUARTER ENDED AUGUST 31, 1995
           (DOLLARS IN MILLIONS EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS AND RATIOS)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                HISTORICAL                                                  VENCOR'S
                                               TENET QUARTER                   GENERAL     INTERNATIONAL   ACQUISITION
                                                   ENDED          TENET       HOSPITAL      OPERATIONS         OF
                                                AUGUST 31,     ADJUSTMENTS   ACQUISITIONS    DIVESTED      HILLHAVEN     PRO FORMA
                                                   1995            (F)           (H)            (I)           (C)       ADJUSTMENTS
                                               -------------   -----------   -----------   -------------   ----------   -----------
<S>                                            <C>             <C>           <C>           <C>             <C>          <C>
Net operating revenues.......................   $   1,283.9      $--           $ 87.2         $ (33.9)       $--        $ --
Operating expenses:
  Salaries and benefits......................         502.2                      39.9           (15.0)
  Supplies...................................         178.7                      20.6            (3.9)
  Provision for doubtful accounts............          67.3                       5.7            (0.1)
  Other operating expenses...................         281.6                       9.2            (7.4)
  Depreciation...............................          61.4                       6.2            (2.2)                    (3.4)(k)
  Amortization...............................          18.8                                      (0.2)                     0.6(m)
                                               -------------   -----------      -----          ------         -----      -----
Operating income.............................         173.9                       5.6            (5.1)                     2.8
Interest expense, net of capitalized
 portion.....................................         (77.1)                     (1.8)            0.3                      1.8(o)
                                                                                                                           4.4(v)
                                                                                                                          (5.1)(q)
Investment earnings..........................           7.3                                      (0.2)         (1.7)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated
 affiliates..................................           6.9                                      (0.1)         (3.9)
Minority interest in income of consolidated
 subsidiaries................................          (5.6)                                      1.5
Net gain on disposals of facilities and
 long-term investments.......................         123.5      (123.5)
                                               -------------   -----------      -----          ------         -----      -----
Income from continuing operations before
 income taxes................................         228.9      (123.5)          3.8            (3.6)         (5.6)       3.9
Taxes on income..............................        (110.6)       64.1           0.1             1.3           1.6       (3.0)(t)
                                               -------------   -----------      -----          ------         -----      -----
Income from continuing operations............   $     118.3      $(59.4)       $  3.9         $  (2.3)       $ (4.0)    $  0.9
                                               -------------   -----------      -----          ------         -----      -----
                                               -------------   -----------      -----          ------         -----      -----
Earnings per common share from continuing
 operations, fully diluted...................   $      0.56
                                               -------------
                                               -------------
Weighted average number of shares
 outstanding, fully diluted (in 000's).......       215,839
                                               -------------
                                               -------------
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges...........           3.4x
                                               -------------
                                               -------------

<CAPTION>

                                               PRO FORMA
                                               ---------
<S>                                            <C>
Net operating revenues.......................  $1,337.2
Operating expenses:
  Salaries and benefits......................     527.1
  Supplies...................................     195.4
  Provision for doubtful accounts............      72.9
  Other operating expenses...................     283.4
  Depreciation...............................      62.0
  Amortization...............................      19.2
                                               ---------
Operating income.............................     177.2
Interest expense, net of capitalized
 portion.....................................     (77.5)

Investment earnings..........................       5.4
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated
 affiliates..................................       2.9
Minority interest in income of consolidated
 subsidiaries................................      (4.1)
Net gain on disposals of facilities and
 long-term investments.......................
                                               ---------
Income from continuing operations before
 income taxes................................     103.9
Taxes on income..............................     (46.5)
                                               ---------
Income from continuing operations............  $   57.4
                                               ---------
                                               ---------
Earnings per common share from continuing
 operations, fully diluted...................  $   0.27
                                               ---------
                                               ---------
Weighted average number of shares
 outstanding, fully diluted (in 000's).......   215,839
                                               ---------
                                               ---------
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges...........       2.1x
                                               ---------
                                               ---------
</TABLE>

   See Notes to Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements.

                                       22
<PAGE>
      NOTES TO UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

    The  Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Statements of Operations for the
quarter ended August 31, 1994 and the year ended May 31, 1995 do not give effect
to certain  cost  savings that  may  be realized  as  a result  of  the  Merger,
estimated  by  Tenet  management  to  be  approximately  $60.0  million annually
beginning in fiscal 1996  (before any severance or  other costs of  implementing
such   efficiencies).  The  anticipated  savings  are  based  on  estimates  and
assumptions made  by  Tenet that  are  inherently uncertain,  though  considered
reasonable  by  Tenet, and  are subject  to  significant business,  economic and
competitive uncertainties  and  contingencies, all  of  which are  difficult  to
predict  and many of which are beyond the control of management. There can be no
assurance that such savings, if any, will be achieved.

    The adjustments  to arrive  at the  Unaudited Pro  Forma Condensed  Combined
Financial Statements are as follows:

<TABLE>
<S>        <C>
(a)        To  reflect the September  29, 1995 acquisition  of certain assets  and liabilities of
           Providence  under  the  purchase  method  of  accounting.  The  assets  acquired   and
           liabilities  assumed in this transaction are  recorded at their estimated fair values.
           The excess of the aggregate purchase price of $80.3 million (including the purchase or
           assumption of  working capital)  over the  estimated  fair values  of the  net  assets
           acquired  is $28.0 million, which  will be amortized on  a straight-line basis over 40
           years. The acquisition  of Providence was  financed using a  portion of the  Company's
           Senior Revolving Debt.
(b)        To reflect the divestiture of the Company's holdings in Australia and Malaysia and the
           probable  sale of the Company's holdings in Thailand, which sale currently is pending.
           These holdings are classified as assets held for sale at August 31, 1995. The  Company
           realized  net proceeds of approximately $68.3 million from the sale of its holdings in
           Australia, approximately $12.0 million from the  sale of its holdings in Malaysia  and
           expects  to realize  net cash  consideration of  approximately $20.8  million from the
           probable sale  of its  holdings  in Thailand.  Pursuant to  the  terms of  the  Credit
           Agreement,  75%  of the  net proceeds  from the  divestiture of  these assets  must be
           applied to the prepayment of  the Senior Term Debt and  the balance applied to  reduce
           the amount outstanding under the Company's Senior Revolving Debt.
(c)        To  reflect Vencor's acquisition of Hillhaven, pursuant to which each Hillhaven common
           share was exchanged for 0.935 share of  Vencor Common Stock. Tenet had held  8,878,147
           shares of Hillhaven Common Stock and had accounted for its interest in Hillhaven using
           the  equity method of  accounting. As a  result of Vencor's  acquisition of Hillhaven,
           Tenet received 8,301,067 shares of Vencor Common Stock in exchange for its interest in
           Hillhaven. Because Tenet owns less than 20% of Vencor and does not have the ability to
           exercise significant influence  over Vencor, Tenet  will account for  its interest  in
           Vencor  in accordance with  SFAS No. 115 and  will adjust the  carrying value of these
           securities to market value at the end of each accounting period. In addition, as  part
           of   Vencor's  acquisition  of   Hillhaven,  Tenet  received   cash  consideration  of
           approximately $91.8 million upon  the redemption of its  Hillhaven Series C  Preferred
           Stock  and Hillhaven Series D Preferred Stock. These proceeds, net of certain expenses
           related to  the  transaction, were  applied  to repay  secured  bank loans  under  the
           Company's  Credit  Agreement. In  connection with  Vencor's acquisition  of Hillhaven,
           Tenet recognized a  net gain  on the exchange  of securities  of approximately  $101.7
           million,  which  gain has  not been  reflected  in the  Unaudited Pro  Forma Condensed
           Combined  Statements  of  Operations.  The  Unaudited  Pro  Forma  Condensed  Combined
           Statements  of Operations reflect  adjustments made to eliminate  the dividends on the
           Hillhaven   Series   C   and   Series   D    Preferred   Stock   as   well   as    the
</TABLE>

                                       23
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<S>        <C>
           Company's  equity in the earnings of Hillhaven that had been recognized by Tenet using
           the equity  method  of accounting  for  investments in  unconsolidated  affiliates.  A
           summary of this adjustment follows:
             Fair value of Vencor Common Stock on exchange date..................................
                                                                                          $257.3
             Carrying value of Hillhaven Common and Preferred Stock.....................     (164.7)
                                                                                          ---------
             Net increase in investments and other assets...............................       92.6
             Cash  consideration  received upon  the  redemption of  Hillhaven Preferred
               Stock....................................................................       91.8
             Transaction fees and expenses..............................................      (10.0)
                                                                                          ---------
             Pretax gain on exchange....................................................      174.4
             Provision for income taxes ($64.4 million of which is deferred)............      (72.7)
                                                                                          ---------
             Increase in other shareholders' equity.....................................  $   101.7
                                                                                          ---------
                                                                                          ---------
(d)        To reflect the  October 1995 Senior  Notes Offering,  which notes were  priced to  yield
           8.68%,  and the application  of the net  proceeds therefrom to  repay secured bank loans
           under the Company's  Credit Agreement, which  loans had an  average historical  interest
           rate  of 7.3%. Debt issuance costs of $13.3  million incurred with respect to the Senior
           Notes Offering will be  amortized over the  life of the notes.  See "Historical and  Pro
           Forma Capitalization."
(e)        To  reflect the consummation  of this Offering  and the application  of the net proceeds
           therefrom as described  under "Use of  Proceeds." Debt issuance  costs of $10.0  million
           incurred with respect to this Offering will be amortized over the life of the Notes. See
           "Historical and Pro Forma Capitalization."
(f)        To  adjust the results  of operations of Tenet  to reflect: (i) the  August 1994 sale of
           approximately 75% of  the common  stock of TRC;  (ii) the  elimination of  restructuring
           charges  recorded by Tenet of  $36.9 million; and (iii)  the elimination of nonrecurring
           gains on disposals of  facilities and long-term investments  recorded by Tenet of  $29.5
           million  in the quarter  ended August 31, 1994  and $123.5 million  in the quarter ended
           August 31, 1995.
(g)        To eliminate  nonrecurring  costs  recorded  by  AMH  in  connection  with  the  Merger,
           principally  related to the buy-out of  employee stock options ($49.3 million), employee
           benefit costs ($12.1 million), and professional fees ($12.4 million).
(h)        To reflect the historical  operations of Mercy+Baptist prior  to its acquisition by  the
           Company  in August 1995  as well as  the historical operations  of Providence, which was
           acquired by the Company in September 1995.
(i)        To reflect  the  divestiture of  the  Company's  Mount Elizabeth  Hospital,  East  Shore
           Hospital  and related  healthcare businesses  in Singapore,  and a  related net  gain of
           approximately $123.5 million, as well as the sale of the Company's holdings in Australia
           and Malaysia and the  probable sale of  the Company's holdings  in Thailand, which  sale
           currently  is  pending. In  fiscal 1995,  the divested  international operations  of the
           Company generated net operating revenues and EBITDA of $203.4 million and $52.9 million,
           respectively. In  fiscal 1994,  these operations  generated net  operating revenues  and
           EBITDA  of $175.2 million and $46.3  million, respectively. Capital expenditures related
           to these operations were $50.0 million in fiscal 1995 and $28.7 million in fiscal 1994.
(j)        To adjust  AMH depreciation  expense for  the nine  months ended  February 28,  1995  as
           follows:
             To  reflect  additional  depreciation  on the  stepped-up  values  of AMH's
               buildings and equipment..................................................  $     2.3
             To conform  the  estimated  useful  lives of  the  acquired  buildings  and
               equipment to the lives used by Tenet.....................................      (19.2)
                                                                                          ---------
               Net decrease in depreciation expense.....................................  $   (16.9)
                                                                                          ---------
                                                                                          ---------
           The adjustments made for the quarter ended August 31, 1994 are equal to one third of the
           amounts above.
</TABLE>

                                       24
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<S>        <C>
(k)        To  adjust depreciation expense to reflect the estimated fair value of the buildings and
           equipment acquired in the purchases of Mercy+Baptist and Providence, and to conform  the
           estimated useful lives of the acquired buildings and equipment to those used by Tenet.
(l)        To  reflect amortization of the excess of the purchase price of AMH over the fair values
           of the net assets acquired using the straight-line method over 40 years.
(m)        To reflect the amortization  of the excess  of the purchase  price of Mercy+Baptist  and
           Providence  over  the  estimated fair  values  of  the net  assets  acquired,  using the
           straight-line method over 40 years.
(n)        To adjust interest expense, including the amortization of deferred financing costs  over
           the  term of the related  indebtedness, for the nine months  ended February 28, 1995, as
           follows:
             Secured bank  loans  under  the Credit  Facility  (aggregate  principal  of
               $2,021.6 million)........................................................  $   113.2
             9 5/8% Senior Notes due 2002 (aggregate principal of $300.0 million).......       22.3
             10 1/8% Senior Notes due 2005 (aggregate principal of $900.0 million)......       70.1
             To  reduce  interest expense  to  give effect  to  the refinancing  and the
               repayment  of  certain  indebtedness   in  connection  with  the   Merger
               (aggregate principal of $1,701.9 million at a weighted average historical
               interest rate of 9.6%)...................................................     (124.4)
             To reduce interest expense to reflect the amortization of the adjustment to
               fair value of AMH indebtedness not refinanced............................       (4.6)
                                                                                          ---------
               Net increase in interest expense.........................................  $    76.6
                                                                                          ---------
                                                                                          ---------
           The adjustments made for the quarter ended August 31, 1994 are equal to one third of the
           amounts above. The interest rates used are the actual rates on the dates borrowed.
(o)        To  reflect the elimination of historical interest expense incurred by Mercy+Baptist and
           by Providence in connection with indebtedness not assumed by Tenet.
(p)        To reflect the reduction in interest expense for  the year ended May 31, 1995, from  the
           application  of an  aggregate of  $402.2 million in  net proceeds  from (y)  the sale of
           certain of the Company's international assets, as described in notes (b) and (i)  above,
           and  (z)  the redemption  of the  Company's Series  C  and Series  D Preferred  Stock of
           Hillhaven, as described in note (c) above, to repay secured bank loans under its  Credit
           Agreement with an average historical interest rate of 7.3%. The adjustments made for the
           quarter ended August 31, 1994, are equal to one-fourth the annual amount. See note (v).
(q)        To  reflect  interest expense  on borrowings  under  the Senior  Revolving Debt,  with a
           weighted  average  interest  rate  of  7.3%,   used  to  finance  the  acquisitions   of
           Mercy+Baptist and Providence, as well as to reflect the consummation of the Senior Notes
           Offering and this Offering as follows:

             Borrowings under Senior Revolving Debt:
               To  finance the  acquisition of  Mercy+Baptist and  Providence (aggregate
                 principal of $302.9 million)...........................................  $    22.1
               Reduction in interest due to Mercy+Baptist and Providence cash flows.....       (2.1)
             Incremental interest on consummation of:
               8 5/8% Senior Notes due 2003 (aggregate principal of $500.0 million).....        6.6
             Reduction of interest on consummation of:
               5.5% Exchangeable  Subordinated Notes  due 2005  (aggregate principal  of
                 $350.0 million)........................................................       (6.3)
                                                                                          ---------
               Net increase in interest expense.........................................  $    20.3
                                                                                          ---------
                                                                                          ---------
           The  adjustments  made for  the quarterly  periods  are equal  to one-fourth  the annual
           amount.
</TABLE>

                                       25
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<S>        <C>
(r)        To reflect an estimated reduction of interest income related to a lower balance of  cash
           and cash equivalents available for investment.
(s)        To reflect income taxes at an assumed rate of 39% on the pro forma adjustments described
           in  notes  (j),  (n) and  (r)  above. Amortization  of  goodwill  in the  Merger  is not
           deductible for tax purposes.
(t)        To reflect income taxes at an assumed rate of 39% on the pro forma adjustments described
           in notes (h), (k), (m), (o), (p) and (q) above.
(u)        Represents  the  additional  weighted  average  common  shares  that  would  have   been
           outstanding upon consummation of the Merger.
(v)        To  reflect the reduction in interest expense for the quarter ended August 31, 1995 from
           the application of an aggregate of $402.2 million  in net proceeds from (y) the sale  of
           certain  of the Company's international assets, as described in notes (b) and (i) above,
           and (z)  the redemption  of the  Company's  Series C  and Series  D Preferred  Stock  of
           Hillhaven,  as described in note (c) above, to repay secured bank loans under its Credit
           Agreement with an average historical interest rate of 7.3%, as follows:
             Three month adjustment as calculated in note (p) above.....................  $     7.3
             Less:adjustment for interest income on proceeds of $243.3 million  received
               in June 1995 from sale of Singapore (two months @ 7.3%)..................       (2.9)
                                                                                          ---------
             Net reduction in interest expense..........................................  $     4.4
                                                                                          ---------
                                                                                          ---------
</TABLE>

                                       26
<PAGE>
                                     VENCOR

   
    According  to  Vencor's  publicly available  documents,  Vencor  operated an
integrated network of healthcare services primarily focused on the needs of  the
elderly,  including, at September 30, 1995, 35 hospitals, 311 nursing centers, a
contract services  business  which  provides respiratory  therapy  and  subacute
services  primarily  to nursing  centers, 56  retail and  institutional pharmacy
outlets and 23 retirement communities  with 3,122 apartments. The Vencor  Common
Stock  is described in  Vencor's Registration Statement on  Form 8-A, filed with
the Commission on January 22, 1992, and Vencor's Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
are described in  Vencor's Registration Statement  on Form 8-A,  filed with  the
Commission  on July 21, 1993, and in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the
Commission on August 12, 1995.
    

    Vencor is subject  to the  informational requirements of  the Exchange  Act.
Accordingly,  Vencor files reports, proxy  statements and other information with
the Commission  under  file  number  1-10989.  Copies  of  such  reports,  proxy
statements  and other information may be  inspected and copied at the Commission
locations listed under "Available Information" and  at the offices of the  NYSE,
20  Broad Street, New York, New York  10005. The following are the reports filed
by Vencor with the Commission since December 31, 1994: (i) Annual Report on Form
10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1994 (the "Vencor 10-K") filed  with
the  Commission on  March 29, 1995;  (ii) Amendment  to the Vencor  10-K on Form
10-K/A filed with the Commission on August  12, 1995; (iii) the portions of  the
Vencor  Proxy Statement for  the Annual Meeting  of Shareholders held  on May 9,
1995, filed with the Commission on  March 31, 1995, that have been  incorporated
by reference into the Vencor 10-K; (iv) the portions of the Vencor Annual Report
to  Shareholders for  the fiscal  year ended December  31, 1994,  filed with the
Commission on March 30, 1995, that have been incorporated by reference into  the
Vencor 10-K; (v) Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31,
1995,  June 30, 1995 and September 30, 1995 filed with the Commission on May 11,
1995, August 15, 1995 and November 15, 1995, respectively; (vi) Amendment to the
Quarterly Report for the quarter ended March 31, 1995 on Form 10-Q/A filed  with
the  Commission on August 12, 1995; and  (vii) Current Reports on Form 8-K filed
with the Commission on April 24, 1995, May 5, 1995, August 12, 1995, August  23,
1995, September 1, 1995 and November 29, 1995. The Company undertakes to provide
a  reference in its  quarterly and annual periodic  reports to Vencor's Exchange
Act reports filed with the Commission.

                  RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND VENCOR

    At November 30, 1995,  the Company owned 8,301,067  shares of Vencor  Common
Stock  which represented  approximately 11.8%  of the  outstanding Vencor Common
Stock, with sole voting and investment power over all such shares. In  addition,
the  Company and Vencor have entered  into various intercompany transactions and
arrangements. The Company believes  that it is not  an affiliate of Vencor.  The
Company  currently  holds certain  registration  rights in  connection  with the
shares of  Vencor Common  Stock  that it  owns. Pursuant  to  the terms  of  the
indenture  governing the Notes, however, the  Notes are not exchangeable, except
in certain  circumstances, into  the underlying  shares of  Vencor Common  Stock
until November 6, 1997. Accordingly, as a subsequent sale of Vencor Common Stock
would  be permitted  at that time  under certain exemptions  to registration, at
this time the Company does not  anticipate exercising such rights. In the  event
an effective registration statement of Vencor filed with the Commission would be
required  in order for the Company to  deliver Vencor Common Stock in connection
with an exercise  by a holder  of Notes  of their exchange  rights, the  Company
would  exercise  its  registration  rights to  cause  an  effective registration
statement of Vencor to be on file  with the Commission covering the delivery  of
such  Vencor Common Stock. If such  registration statement is not effective, the
Company will pay  such holder  cash, in lieu  of delivering  such Vencor  Common
Shares.

    Vencor  has no obligation with respect to the Notes or amounts to be paid to
the holders of the  Notes, including any obligation  to take into  consideration
for  any  reason the  needs of  the Company  or the  holders, other  than normal
fiduciary duties to Tenet as a shareholder.  Vencor will not receive any of  the
proceeds of the Offering of the Notes made hereby and is not responsible for the
determination of the time of, prices for or quantities of the Notes to be issued
or the optional redemption of such Notes.

                                       27
<PAGE>
    Pursuant  to an agreement, dated as of August 22, 1995, between the Company,
Hillhaven and Vencor (the "Three Party Agreement"), Vencor agreed to provide the
Company with registration rights for all of the Vencor Common Stock received  by
the  Company  pursuant to  Vencor's acquisition  of  Hillhaven. The  Three Party
Agreement provides that Vencor will bear certain costs and expenses incurred  in
connection  with  up to  three  registrations requested  by  the Company  of the
Company's shares of Vencor  Common Stock, and, in  connection with any  offering
pursuant  to  such  a  request,  that Vencor  will  indemnify  the  Company, its
affiliates, its officers  and directors,  each underwriter and  each person  who
controls any such underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities
Act,  against certain  liabilities, including  liabilities under  the Securities
Act. The Three Party Agreement also provides that the Company shall not, for the
period  ending  seven  years  following   the  consummation  of  the   Hillhaven
Acquisition,  (i)  acquire  additional  shares  of  Vencor  Common  Stock,  (ii)
participate in any solicitation of proxies with respect to Vencor Common  Stock,
(iii)  participate in a group with respect  to Vencor Common Stock, (iv) deposit
its shares of Vencor Common  Stock into a voting trust  or (v) otherwise act  to
seek to control or influence Vencor.

   
    On  January 31,  1990, the  Company and  Hillhaven entered  into a Guarantee
Reimbursement Agreement (the "Guarantee Reimbursement Agreement") which provided
that the Company guarantee certain liabilities of Hillhaven in consideration for
a fee.  Upon  Vencor's  acquisition  of Hillhaven,  the  rights  and  duties  of
Hillhaven  under the agreement were assumed by Vencor. At May 31, 1995 and 1994,
an  aggregate  total  of  approximately  $182.0  million  and  $286.0   million,
respectively,   of  long-term  debt,  leases  and  contingent  liabilities  were
guaranteed by the Company  and the Company received  fees of approximately  $4.6
million,  $6.7 million and $9.6 million during fiscal years 1995, 1994 and 1993,
respectively.
    

   
    Pursuant to the Management  Agreement, dated January  31, 1990, between  the
Company  and Hillhaven (the "Management  Agreement"), which Management Agreement
was assumed  by  Vencor, Vencor  provides  management, consulting  and  advisory
services  in connection  with the  operation of  seven nursing  centers owned or
leased by the Company or its  subsidiaries. Under the Management Agreement,  the
Company  must pay management fees and reimburse certain costs and expenses. Such
amounts totalled approximately $2.4  million, $2.3 million  and $2.3 million  in
fiscal years 1995, 1994 and 1993, respectively.
    

    In connection with the Hillhaven spinoff, Hillhaven and Tenet entered into a
Tax  Sharing  Agreement. The  Tax  Sharing Agreement  allocates responsibilities
between Hillhaven and  Tenet with respect  to the filing  of federal, state  and
local income tax returns, the payment of taxes and other matters. The purpose of
the  Tax Sharing  Agreement is  to properly  allocate responsibility  for income
taxes on taxable income earned by Hillhaven (including income arising from audit
adjustments), to Tenet for  periods ending before the  spinoff and to  Hillhaven
for periods ending after the spinoff. Since the IRS audit of Tenet's tax returns
for  the  year  of the  spinoff  has not  yet  been completed,  the  Tax Sharing
Agreement remains in effect. Pursuant to the terms of the Three Party Agreement,
Vencor has assumed Hillhaven's obligations under the Tax Sharing Agreement.

    In connection with the Hillhaven  spinoff, Hillhaven and Tenet also  entered
into  a  Services  Agreement.  That  Services  Agreement  permits  Hillhaven  to
participate in Tenet's  group purchasing  program (in which  both Hillhaven  and
Vencor  continue to participate) and provides for each of Hillhaven and Tenet to
retain certain documents related to the other for a period of time.

    Vencor is  currently  leasing  certain  nursing  centers  from  Health  Care
Property Partners, a joint venture in which the Company has a minority interest.
Lease  payments by Vencor  to this joint venture  amounted to approximately $9.6
million, $9.9 million and $9.7  million for the years  ended May 31, 1995,  1994
and 1993, respectively.

    Vencor is operated and managed by Vencor's management completely independent
from  the Company. The  Company does not  consider that its  ownership of Vencor
Common Stock, or any  other aspect of its  relationship with Vencor, affords  it
the  power to control the management or policies of Vencor, nor that the Company
and Vencor are under common control.  Accordingly, the Company believes that  it
is not an affiliate of Vencor.

                                       28
<PAGE>
                PRICE RANGE OF VENCOR COMMON STOCK AND DIVIDENDS

    Vencor  Common Stock has been listed and traded on the NYSE under the symbol
"VC" since February 4, 1992. Prior to such time, Vencor Common Stock was  listed
and  traded on NASDAQ under the symbol  "VCOR". On November 30, 1995, there were
approximately 7,800 holders of record of Vencor Common Stock.

    The following table sets forth,  for the calendar quarters indicated  (ended
March  31, June  30, September 30  and December 31),  the range of  high and low
sales prices of Vencor Common Stock as reported on the NYSE Composite Tape.  The
prices in the table for Vencor Common Stock are adjusted to reflect a three-for-
two stock split effected on October 25, 1994.

   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                   VENCOR COMMON STOCK
                                                                                    -----------------
                                                                                HIGH                 LOW
                                                                             -----------         -----------
<S>                                                                          <C>                 <C>
1993:
  First quarter.............................................................. $  24  1/8         $  14
  Second quarter.............................................................    19  1/2            13  7/8
  Third quarter..............................................................    20  7/8            13
  Fourth quarter.............................................................    19  7/8            14  3/8
1994:
  First quarter..............................................................    24  7/8            19  1/8
  Second quarter.............................................................    24                 20
  Third quarter..............................................................    30  3/8            22  3/8
  Fourth quarter.............................................................    30  5/8            25  3/4
1995:
  First quarter..............................................................    37                 27  1/8
  Second quarter.............................................................    38                 28  1/2
  Third quarter..............................................................    36  1/4            28  1/4
  Fourth quarter (through December 20).......................................    33  3/8            26  1/4
</TABLE>
    

   
    On  December 20, 1995, the last reported  sales price of Vencor Common Stock
on the NYSE Composite Tape was $32.625 per share.
    

    Vencor has not paid a dividend on outstanding shares of Vencor Common Stock.

                                       29
<PAGE>
                              DESCRIPTION OF NOTES

GENERAL

    The Notes will be issued pursuant to an Indenture (the "Indenture")  between
the  Company and  The Bank of  New York as  Trustee (the "Trustee")  and will be
entitled to the benefits of an escrow agreement (the "Escrow Agreement") between
the Company and The Bank of New York, as escrow agent (the "Escrow Agent").  The
terms  of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of
the Indenture by reference to the Trust  Indenture Act of 1939, as amended  (the
"Trust  Indenture Act"). The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders of
Notes are referred to the Indenture and the Trust Indenture Act for a  statement
thereof.  The following summary of certain  provisions of the Indenture does not
purport to be  complete and is  qualified in  its entirety by  reference to  the
Indenture, including the definitions therein of certain terms used below. A copy
of  the proposed  form of Indenture  and Escrow  Agreement has been  filed as an
exhibit to the Registration  Statement of which this  Prospectus is a part.  The
definitions  of certain terms used in the  following summary are set forth below
under "-- Certain Definitions." As used  in this Description of Notes, the  term
"Company"  refers  to  Tenet  Healthcare  Corporation  and  not  to  any  of its
Subsidiaries.

   
    The Notes will be general unsecured obligations of the Company, subordinated
in right of payment  to all existing and  future Senior and Senior  Subordinated
Debt  of the Company. As of October 31,  1995, on a pro forma basis as described
above,  the  aggregate  outstanding  principal  amount  of  Senior  and   Senior
Subordinated  Debt of the Company would have been approximately $3.2 billion. In
addition, the Notes  will be  effectively subordinated to  all indebtedness  and
other obligations of the Company's subsidiaries, which, at October 31, 1995 on a
pro  forma basis,  would have been  approximately $1.5  billion (excluding trade
payables of $242.0 million at October  31, 1995). See "Historical and Pro  Forma
Capitalization."
    

    The  operations of the  Company are conducted  through its subsidiaries and,
therefore, the Company is  dependent upon the cash  flow of its subsidiaries  to
meet  its  obligations, including  its obligations  under  the Notes.  The Notes
effectively will  be  subordinated to  all  outstanding Indebtedness  and  other
liabilities  and commitments (including trade payables and lease obligations) of
the Company's subsidiaries. Any right of the Company to receive assets of any of
its subsidiaries  upon  the  latter's liquidation  or  reorganization  (and  the
consequent  right  of  the Holders  of  Notes  to participate  in  those assets)
effectively will be subordinated to  the claims of that subsidiary's  creditors,
except to the extent that the Company itself is recognized as a creditor of such
subsidiary,  in which case the claims of  the Company would still be subordinate
to any security interest in the  assets of such subsidiary and any  Indebtedness
of  such subsidiary senior to that held by  the Company. At August 31, 1995, the
outstanding Indebtedness  and other  obligations of  the Company's  subsidiaries
were  approximately $1.4 billion, excluding trade  payables of $257.6 million at
August 31, 1995, and intercompany Indebtedness.

PRINCIPAL, MATURITY AND INTEREST

   
    The Notes will be  general unsecured obligations of  the Company limited  in
aggregate  principal amount to $   million and will  mature on           , 2005.
Interest on the Notes will accrue at the  rate per annum set forth on the  cover
page  of this Prospectus and  will be payable semiannually  in arrears on June 1
and December 1 of each year, commencing on June 1, 1996, to Holders of record on
the immediately preceding May 15 and November 15, respectively. Interest on  the
Notes  will accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or,
if no interest has been paid, from the date of original issuance.
    

    Interest on  the Notes  will be  computed on  the basis  of a  360-day  year
comprised  of twelve 30-day months. Principal,  premium, if any, and interest on
the Notes will be payable at the office or agency of the Company maintained  for
such  purpose within the  City and State  of New York  or, at the  option of the
Company, payment of interest may be made  by check mailed to the Holders of  the
Notes  at their  respective addresses  set forth in  the register  of holders of
Notes; provided that all  payments with respect to  Notes, the Holders of  which
have  given wire transfer instructions, on or prior to the relevant record date,
to the paying agent, will be required to be made by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to the accounts specified

                                       30
<PAGE>
by such Holders. Until otherwise designated by the Company, the Company's office
or agency in  New York will  be the office  of the Trustee  maintained for  such
purpose.  The  Notes will  be  issued in  denominations  of $1,000  and integral
multiples thereof.

EXCHANGE RIGHTS

   
    The Notes are exchangeable for shares of Vencor Common Stock at any time  or
from  time  to time  on or  after November  6, 1997  and prior  to the  close of
business on        , 2005,  unless previously  redeemed, at  the Exchange  Rate,
subject to adjustment under the circumstances described below and subject to the
Company's  right to pay cash  equal to the Market Price  of the shares of Vencor
Common Stock for which such Notes are  exchangeable in lieu of delivery of  such
shares  as described below. The Notes will  be exchangeable prior to November 6,
1997 only  in  the event  of  the consummation  of  a merger,  consolidation  or
liquidation  of Vencor pursuant to which all  shares of Vencor Common Stock held
by the  Exchange  Agent  are converted  into  or  exchanged for  cash  or  other
securities  registered under the Securities Act.  No such early exchange will be
permitted prior  to  the  consummation  of any  such  merger,  consolidation  or
liquidation.  Accordingly,  Holders will  not be  entitled to  vote on  any such
matters or to dispose of the shares  of Vencor Common Stock for which the  Notes
are  exercisable  prior to  the consummation  of  such merger,  consolidation or
liquidation. No payment or adjustment will be  made on exchange of any Note  for
interest  accrued thereon  or dividends  on any  shares of  Vencor Common Stock;
provided that if a Note is surrendered for exchange after the record date for an
interest payment  and  on or  before  the date  for  payment of  interest,  then
notwithstanding such exchange, the interest falling due on such interest payment
date  will be paid  to the person  in whose name  the Note is  registered at the
close of business on  such record date.  In the event the  Notes are called  for
redemption,  the exchange rights will terminate at  the close of business on the
business day  preceding the  redemption date  (or, in  the case  of a  call  for
redemption  within ten days following  a tender or exchange  offer for shares of
Vencor Common Stock (or any other  securities deliverable upon exchange) on  the
last business day preceding the fifteenth day after the mailing of the notice of
redemption).
    

    In  order to  exercise the right  of exchange,  the Holder of  any Note must
surrender his or her Note at the office or agency of the Company maintained  for
such  purpose in New York, New York, which initially will be the corporate trust
office of the Escrow Agent. Each Note  to be surrendered must be accompanied  by
written  notice to the  Company and the  Escrow Agent that  the Holder elects to
exchange such Note.  The Indenture  provides that delivery  of certificates  for
shares  of Vencor Common Stock (and any securities, property or cash apportioned
thereto as described  below) may be  delayed at  the request of  the Company  in
order  to effectuate the calculations of any  adjustment to the number of shares
of Vencor Common  Stock and  securities, property and  cash apportioned  thereto
deliverable  upon exchange, to obtain any certificate representing securities to
be delivered or to complete any reapportionment of the Vencor Common Stock  (and
any  securities, property or cash apportioned  thereto) which is required by the
Indenture. No fractional shares of Vencor Common Stock will be delivered on  any
exchange  of Notes  and in lieu  thereof a  cash adjustment based  on the Market
Price of Vencor Common Stock will be paid. Any shares of Vencor Common Stock, or
any other securities or property  held in escrow for  the benefit of Holders  of
Notes,  remaining in escrow after the expiration of the right to surrender Notes
for exchange and  when all  other obligations of  the Company  under the  Escrow
Agreement shall have been satisfied, will be returned to and become the property
of  the Company and/or its Permitted Transferees, if any (as defined below under
"-- Sale or Transfer of Vencor Common Stock") as their interests may appear.

   
    In lieu  of delivering  certificates representing  shares of  Vencor  Common
Stock  or other securities held  by the Escrow Agent  in exchange for any Notes,
the Escrow  Agent shall,  if  so directed  by the  Company,  pay to  the  Holder
surrendering  such Notes  an amount  in cash  equal to  the Market  Price of the
shares of Vencor Common Stock or such other securities for which such Notes  are
exchangeable,  plus any cash  or other property  theretofore apportioned to such
shares of Vencor Common  Stock. Prior to or  concurrently with so directing  the
Escrow  Agent to make any such cash  payment, the Company shall deposit with the
Escrow Agent the cash so payable.
    

    The Company  or  its Permitted  Transferee  will  be entitled  to  all  cash
dividends  paid on the  shares of Vencor  Common Stock held  for exchange by the
Escrow   Agent,   other    than   dividends    paid   pursuant    to   a    plan

                                       31
<PAGE>
of  liquidation, partial liquidation, recapitalization or restructuring or other
extraordinary cash dividends. The Company or its Permitted Transferee also  will
be entitled to all interest payments on any debt securities held for exchange by
the  Escrow Agent  which are issued  in exchange  for or with  respect to Vencor
Common Stock  held by  the Escrow  Agent, including  pursuant to  any merger  or
consolidation  of Vencor or in connection with  any sale of all or substantially
all of the assets of Vencor.

    If the number of shares of Vencor Common Stock shall be increased by a stock
split or  reclassification or  by way  of a  stock dividend  or decreased  by  a
reverse stock split, the Exchange Rate will be proportionately adjusted.

   
    If  any  distribution of  cash, securities  or other  property is  made with
respect to the shares of Vencor Common Stock or other property held for exchange
by the Escrow Agent (other than cash  dividends payable on the shares of  Vencor
Common  Stock and interest paid  on debt securities to  which the Company or its
Permitted Transferee is entitled as described above, the distributions described
in the preceding  paragraph or any  securities or other  property received in  a
merger  or consolidation  of Vencor  or in  connection with  any sale  of all or
substantially all of the assets of Vencor as described in the next paragraph) or
if transferable subscription rights, options,  warrants or other similar  rights
are  granted to the Escrow  Agent or the Company  or its Permitted Transferee in
respect of the shares of Vencor Common Stock or other property held for exchange
by the Escrow Agent, the Company will cause any such securities, other property,
cash, and rights that  it or any Permitted  Transferee receives to be  deposited
with  the Escrow Agent and the Escrow Agent  will notify the Company of any such
securities, other property, cash and rights  that it receives. The Company  will
direct  the  Escrow Agent,  to the  extent such  securities, other  property and
rights are transferable, to sell all such securities, other property and  rights
for cash. The Escrow Agent will hold the cash proceeds for distribution pro rata
with  the Vencor Common Stock or other securities to be delivered upon exchange.
To the extent such securities, other property or rights are nontransferable, the
Company, at its option, will either (a) cause such securities, other property or
rights to be distributed  to the Holders  of the Notes,  (b) provide the  Escrow
Agent  with funds for the exercise of any  such rights, or (c) direct the Escrow
Agent to retain such  securities, other property or  rights for delivery to  the
Holders  of the Notes upon the exchange of such Notes. The Escrow Agent may sell
any shares  of  Vencor Common  Stock  or other  property  held for  exchange  as
provided  in the  Indenture and  will apply  any cash  held for  exchange to the
reimbursement of the Company  for any provision of  funds as provided in  clause
(b) above.
    

    In  the case of any merger or consolidation  of Vencor or any sale of all or
substantially all of the  assets of Vencor, the  Holder of any Note  surrendered
for  exchange thereafter  will be  entitled to  receive the  kind and  amount of
shares of  stock  and  other  securities and  property  receivable  upon  or  in
connection  with such transaction by a Holder  of the number of shares of Vencor
Common Stock for which such Note might have been exchanged immediately prior  to
such  transaction, as well as a pro rata  share of any cash or property held for
exchange by the Escrow Agent in accordance with the preceding paragraph.

   
    The Company is required to give to  Holders of Notes notice, as promptly  as
practicable after notice is received by the Company, of certain dividends on the
shares  of  Vencor Common  Stock  required to  be held  for  the benefit  of the
Holders, the  granting by  Vencor  of certain  rights,  options or  warrants  to
Holders  of shares  of Vencor  Common Stock,  reclassification of  the shares of
Vencor Common Stock,  certain mergers  involving Vencor or  the sale  of all  or
substantially  all of the  assets of Vencor and  the dissolution, liquidation or
winding up of Vencor.
    

    Any cash held by the Escrow Agent  that is deliverable upon exchange of  the
Notes  will be invested in securities issued  or guaranteed by the United States
of America  or  any  agency  or  instrumentality  thereof,  provided  that  such
obligations  shall  mature  by  their terms  within  12  months  following their
purchase. Any interest or gain  on such investments will  be for the benefit  of
the  Company,  and  the Company  will  be  responsible for  any  losses  on such
investments.

    To the extent that  Notes are redeemed prior  to exchange, the Company  and,
upon  demand  of  the  Company, any  applicable  Permitted  Transferee,  will be
entitled to receive from the Escrow Agent such number of shares of Vencor Common
Stock  and  such  amount  of  cash  or  the  property,  if  any,  held  by   the

                                       32
<PAGE>
Escrow  Agent for exchange  which exceed the  number of shares  of Vencor Common
Stock and amount of  cash or other  property required to be  held by the  Escrow
Agent for the exchange of all Notes remaining outstanding after such redemption.

    If  the Company calls  the Notes in whole  or in part  for redemption with a
notice given  within  ten days  after  the commencement  of  a tender  offer  or
exchange  offer  for shares  of  Vencor Common  Stock  (or any  other securities
deliverable upon  exchange),  the Company  will  have  the right  (but  not  the
obligation)  to cause the Escrow Agent to tender  for its own account or for the
account of a Permitted  Transferee shares of Vencor  Common Stock (or any  other
securities  deliverable upon exchange)  into the offer. The  number of shares of
Vencor Common Stock  tendered may  not include the  number of  shares of  Vencor
Common  Stock deliverable  upon exchange  of the  aggregate principal  amount of
outstanding Notes after giving effect to  such redemption. The Company must,  to
the  extent Notes so  called for redemption  are surrendered for  exchange on or
before the last business  day preceding the fifteenth  day after the mailing  of
the  notice of redemption,  cause to be  withdrawn from the  offer, or otherwise
cause to be delivered to the Escrow  Agent, a number of shares of Vencor  Common
Stock  sufficient  to permit  their  delivery in  exchange  for such  Notes. The
proceeds of the  sale of  shares of  Vencor Common  Stock pursuant  to any  such
tender  or  exchange  offer  and  any shares  of  Vencor  Common  Stock returned
following the  expiration or  termination of  such offer,  which are  no  longer
deliverable  in exchange  for Notes  so called for  redemption, will  be for the
Company's benefit and will not be subject to the Escrow Agreement.

    The Company will not be obligated,  however, and the Escrow Agent shall  not
have  the authority, except as described below, to exchange on a voluntary basis
(for example, in the context  of a cash tender offer)  any of the Vencor  Common
Stock  for cash, securities or other property. In certain situations, this could
be detrimental to the interests  of the Holders of  the Notes and might  require
such  Holders to exchange their Notes for shares of Vencor Common Stock in order
to participate in any such voluntary  exchange. Holders, however, will not  have
the  right to exchange their  Notes prior to November  6, 1997, except after the
consummation of a  merger, consolidation  or liquidation of  Vencor pursuant  to
which  all shares of Vencor Common Stock  held by the Escrow Agent are converted
into cash or other securities registered under the Securities Act.  Accordingly,
Holders  will not  be able  to participate  in any  voluntary exchange occurring
prior  to  November  6,  1997.  In  certain  circumstances  including,   without
limitation,  a cash merger of  Vencor, it is possible  that the shares of Vencor
Common Stock which  theretofore might  have been  received in  exchange for  the
Notes  will no longer be  available for exchange. In  such event, only the cash,
securities or other property received upon the exchange of the shares of  Vencor
Common  Stock  (exclusive  of any  interest  or dividends  payable  with respect
thereto) will be available upon exchange of the Notes to the Holders thereof.

    The right of  a Holder  to exchange  his or her  Note for  shares of  Vencor
Common  Stock (or other securities,  property or cash) held  by the Escrow Agent
could be  adversely affected  in  the event  of  the bankruptcy,  insolvency  or
liquidation  of  the  Company.  The  shares of  Vencor  Common  Stock  (or other
securities, property or cash) held by the  Escrow Agent will be deemed to be  an
asset  of the Company subject to the  claims of its general creditors. The right
of a Holder to exchange  his or her Note for  shares of Vencor Common Stock  (or
other  securities, property or cash) held by the Escrow Agent could be adversely
affected in the event  of bankruptcy, insolvency or  liquidation of a  Permitted
Transferee  if such shares, securities or cash were determined to be an asset of
the Permitted Transferee; however, the Company shall remain liable in the  event
of  the bankruptcy,  insolvency or  liquidation of  the Permitted  Transferee to
perform all of the Company's duties and obligations under the Indenture and  the
Escrow Agreement.

ESCROW OF EXCHANGE PROPERTY

    Prior  to the issuance of the Notes,  the Company will deposit the shares of
Vencor Common Stock with  the Escrow Agent  to provide for  the exchange of  all
Notes  offered hereby. The  Escrow Agent will  act as agent  for the exchange of
Notes. A  breach  of  the  Escrow Agreement  will  not  constitute  grounds  for
accelerating  the indebtedness evidenced  by the Notes, but  the Holders and the
Trustee  will  have   the  remedies   provided  by   the  Indenture,   including
acceleration,  for failure by  the Company to cause  exchange in accordance with
the Indenture. The Company and its Permitted Transferee will be entitled to vote
their respective shares of the escrowed shares of Vencor Common Stock.

                                       33
<PAGE>
    With certain limited exceptions, amendments and modifications of the  Escrow
Agreement  may be made by  the Company and the Escrow  Agent with the consent of
the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes, provided
that without the consent  of each Holder affected  thereby no such amendment  or
modification  may affect adversely the right to exchange any Notes for shares of
Vencor Common Stock at the rate and upon the terms set forth in the Indenture or
reduce the  percentage  of  Notes  necessary  to  amend  or  modify  the  Escrow
Agreement.

SALE OR TRANSFER OF VENCOR COMMON STOCK

    The  Company may, at any time and from  time to time in its sole discretion,
sell or transfer all or any part of its right, title and interest in the  shares
of  Vencor Common  Stock to any  wholly owned  subsidiary of the  Company or any
partnership all of the  general partners and limited  partners of which are  the
Company  and/ or wholly owned subsidiaries of  the Company (any of the foregoing
are hereinafter referred to as a "Permitted Transferee"); PROVIDED THAT (1) such
shares of Vencor Common  Stock sold or transferred  shall remain subject to  the
terms  and conditions of  the Escrow Agreement  and the Indenture;  (2) any such
Permitted Transferee must  expressly agree  in writing  to become  bound by  the
terms  and conditions of the  Escrow Agreement, as such  Escrow Agreement may be
amended from time  to time,  as though such  Permitted Transferee  were a  party
thereto; (3) the Company shall notify the Escrow Agent in writing at the time of
any  such sale or transfer as to the  number of shares of Vencor Common Stock so
sold or transferred to such Permitted Transferee; and (4) such sale or  transfer
shall  be  in  compliance with  federal  and  all applicable  state  and foreign
securities laws. Notwithstanding any such sale or transfer, except as  otherwise
provided by the Escrow Agreement, the Company shall remain liable to perform all
of its duties and obligations under the Indenture and the Escrow Agreement.

REGISTRATION OF VENCOR COMMON STOCK UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT

    The  Company has agreed  that at any  time that a  Holder of Notes exchanges
such Notes for certificates  representing shares of Vencor  Common Stock and  an
effective registration statement of Vencor filed with the Commission (or related
qualification  under state  blue sky  or securities  laws) would  be required in
order for the Escrow Agent to deliver such shares of Vencor Common Stock in  the
United  States or to a United States Person, the Company will use its reasonable
best efforts to ensure that an effective registration statement of Vencor is  on
file  with the Commission covering the delivery  of such shares of Vencor Common
Stock and any qualification under state blue sky or securities laws required for
such delivery is maintained and, in the event such registration statement is not
effective or such qualification is not maintained, will direct the Escrow  Agent
to  pay such  Holder cash, in  lieu of  delivering such shares  of Vencor Common
Stock, in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture.

SUBORDINATION

    The payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes will
be subordinated in right of payment, as set forth in the Indenture, to the prior
payment in full of all Senior and Senior Subordinated Debt, whether  outstanding
on the date of the Indenture or thereafter incurred.

    Upon  any  distribution to  creditors  of the  Company  in a  liquidation or
dissolution of  the  Company or  in  a bankruptcy,  reorganization,  insolvency,
receivership  or similar proceeding relating to  the Company or its property, an
assignment for the  benefit of  creditors or  any marshalling  of the  Company's
assets  and liabilities, the Holders of Senior and Senior Subordinated Debt will
be entitled to receive payment in full of all Obligations due in respect to such
Senior and  Senior  Subordinated Debt  (including  interest accruing  after  the
commencement  of any  such proceeding  at the  rate specified  in the applicable
Senior and Senior Subordinated  Debt, whether or not  allowed or allowable as  a
claim  in  such proceeding)  before the  Holders  of Notes  will be  entitled to
receive any payment with  respect to the Notes,  and until all Obligations  with
respect   to  Senior  and  Senior  Subordinated  Debt  are  paid  in  full,  any
distribution to which the Holders  of Notes would be  entitled shall be made  to
the holders of Senior and Senior Subordinated Debt (except that Holders of Notes
may  receive securities that (i) are subordinated at least to the same extent as
the Notes to Senior  and Senior Subordinated Debt  and any securities issued  in
exchange  for Senior and Senior Subordinated Debt, (ii) are unsecured (except to
the extent the Notes are secured), (iii) are not Guaranteed by any Subsidiary of
the Company (except to the extent the Notes are so Guaranteed), and (iv) have  a
Weighted

                                       34
<PAGE>
Average  Life  to Maturity  and final  maturity  that are  not shorter  than the
Weighted Average  Life to  Maturity of  the Notes  or any  securities issued  to
Holders  of  Senior  and  Senior Subordinated  Debt  under  the  Credit Facility
pursuant to a plan of reorganization or readjustment).

    The Company also may not  make any payment upon or  in respect of the  Notes
(except  in such subordinated securities) if (i) a default in the payment of the
principal of,  premium, if  any, or  interest on  Designated Senior  and  Senior
Subordinated Debt occurs and is continuing beyond any applicable period of grace
or  (ii) any other default  occurs and is continuing  with respect to Designated
Senior and  Senior Subordinated  Debt  that permits  holders of  the  Designated
Senior  and  Senior  Subordinated  Debt  as to  which  such  default  relates to
accelerate its maturity  and the Trustee  receives a notice  of such default  (a
"Payment Blockage Notice"), for so long as any Obligations are outstanding under
the  Credit Facility, from  the Representative thereunder  and, thereafter, from
the holders or Representative of  any Designated Senior and Senior  Subordinated
Debt.  Payments on  the Notes  may and  shall be  resumed (a)  in the  case of a
payment default, upon the date on which such default is cured or waived and  (b)
in  the case  of a  nonpayment default, the  earlier of  the date  on which such
nonpayment default is cured or  waived or 179 days after  the date on which  the
applicable  Payment  Blockage Notice  is received,  unless  the maturity  of any
Designated Senior  and Senior  Subordinated Debt  has been  accelerated. No  new
period of payment blockage may be commenced within 360 days after the receipt by
the  Trustee of  any prior Payment  Blockage Notice. No  nonpayment default that
existed or was continuing on the date of delivery of any Payment Blockage Notice
to the Trustee shall be, or be made, the basis for a subsequent Payment Blockage
Notice.

    The Indenture will further require that the Company promptly notify  holders
of  Senior and Senior Subordinated  Debt if payment of  the Notes is accelerated
because of an Event of Default.

    As a result of the subordination provisions described above, in the event of
a liquidation or  insolvency, Holders  of Notes  may recover  less ratably  than
creditors of the Company who are Holders of Senior and Senior Subordinated Debt.

OPTIONAL REDEMPTION

    The Notes will not be subject to redemption prior to         , 1998 and will
be redeemable on such date and thereafter at the option of the Company, in whole
or  in part, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days' notice to each Holder,
at the redemption  prices (expressed  as a  percentage of  the principal  amount
thereof)  set  forth below  plus accrued  and  unpaid interest,  if any,  to the
applicable redemption  date (subject  to the  right of  Holders of  record on  a
Record  Date to receive interest  due on an Interest Payment  Date that is on or
prior to such Redemption Date), if redeemed during the 12-month period beginning
on         of the years indicated below:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
YEAR                                                            PERCENTAGE
- --------------------------------------------------------------  -----------
<S>                                                             <C>
1998..........................................................            %
1999..........................................................            %
2000..........................................................            %
2001..........................................................            %
2002 and thereafter...........................................     100.000%
</TABLE>

   
    If less than all of the Notes are  to be redeemed at any time, selection  of
Notes  for  redemption  will be  made  by  the Trustee  in  compliance  with the
requirements of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which the
Notes are then listed, or, if the Notes are not so listed, by such method as the
Trustee shall deem fair  and appropriate; provided that  Notes with a  principal
amount  of $1,000 shall not  be redeemed in part.  Notice of redemption shall be
mailed by first  class mail at  least 30 but  not more than  60 days before  the
redemption  date  to each  Holder  of Notes  to  be redeemed  at  its registered
address. If any Note is  to be redeemed in part  only, the notice of  redemption
that  relates  to such  Note shall  state  the portion  of the  principal amount
thereof to be redeemed. A new Note  in principal amount equal to the  unredeemed
portion  thereof  will  be  issued  in  the  name  of  the  Holder  thereof upon
cancellation of the original  Note. On and after  the redemption date,  interest
will cease to accrue on Notes or portions of them called for redemption.
    

                                       35
<PAGE>
MANDATORY REDEMPTION

    Except  as set forth below  under "-- Repurchase at  the Option of Holders,"
the Company will  not be required  to make any  mandatory redemption or  sinking
fund payments with respect to the Notes.

REPURCHASE AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS

    Upon  the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, each Holder of
Notes will have the right to require  the Company to repurchase all or any  part
(equal  to  $1,000  or an  integral  multiple  thereof) of  such  Holder's Notes
pursuant to the  offer described  below (the "Change  of Control  Offer") at  an
offer price in cash equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus
accrued  and  unpaid interest,  if any,  thereon  to the  date of  purchase (the
"Change of Control Payment") on a date that  is not more than 90 days after  the
occurrence  of such Change  of Control Triggering Event  (the "Change of Control
Payment Date"). Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event,
the Company will  mail, or at  the Company's  request the Trustee  will mail,  a
notice  to each  Holder offering  to repurchase  the Notes  held by  such Holder
pursuant to the  procedures specified in  such notice. The  Company will  comply
with  the  requirements of  Rule  14e-1 under  the  Exchange Act  and  any other
securities laws and  regulations thereunder  to the  extent that  such laws  and
regulations  are applicable in connection with the  repurchase of the Notes as a
result of a Change of Control Triggering Event.

    On the  Change of  Control Payment  Date, the  Company will,  to the  extent
lawful,  (1) accept for payment all  Notes or portions thereof properly tendered
and not withdrawn pursuant to the Change of Control Offer, (2) deposit with  the
paying  agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all
Notes or portions thereof so tendered and  (3) deliver or cause to be  delivered
to  the Trustee  the Notes  so accepted  together with  an Officers' Certificate
stating the  aggregate  principal amount  of  Notes or  portions  thereof  being
purchased  by the Company. The paying agent will promptly mail to each Holder of
Notes so tendered the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the  Trustee
will  promptly authenticate and mail (or cause  to be transferred by book entry)
to each Holder a new Note equal  in principal amount to any unpurchased  portion
of  the Notes surrendered, if any; provided that each such new Note will be in a
principal amount of  $1,000 or an  integral multiple thereof.  The Company  will
publicly  announce the results of  the Change of Control Offer  on or as soon as
practicable after the Change of Control Payment Date. There can be no  assurance
that  Tenet will  have the  financial resources to  repurchase the  Notes in the
event of a Change  of Control Triggering Event,  particularly if such Change  of
Control  Triggering Event requires  the Company to refinance,  or results in the
acceleration  of,  other  indebtedness.   Additionally,  a  Change  of   Control
Triggering  Event  also  will  result in  an  acceleration  of  the indebtedness
outstanding under  the  Credit  Agreement. This  acceleration  will  reduce  the
likelihood  that  the Company  will have  the  financial resources  available to
repurchase the Notes.

    Except as described  above with respect  to a Change  of Control  Triggering
Event,  the Indenture will not contain provisions that permit the Holders of the
Notes to require that the Company repurchase or redeem the Notes in the event of
a takeover, recapitalization or similar transaction.

    The Credit Agreement prohibits  the Company from  purchasing any Notes  more
than  twelve months prior to the final  maturity thereof, and also provides that
certain change of control events with respect to the Company, including a change
of control  that  would  enable the  Note  holders  to require  the  Company  to
repurchase  the Notes, will constitute a default thereunder. See "Description of
the Credit Agreement." Any future credit agreements or other agreements relating
to Senior and Senior Subordinated Debt to which the Company becomes a party  may
contain  similar restrictions and  provisions. In the event  a Change of Control
Triggering Event occurs at a time when the Company is prohibited from purchasing
Notes, such  as during  an event  of  default under  the Credit  Agreement,  the
Company  could seek the consent of its lenders to the purchase of Notes or could
attempt to  refinance  the borrowings  that  contain such  prohibition.  If  the
Company does not obtain such a consent or refinance such borrowings, the Company
will  remain  prohibited  from purchasing  Notes.  In such  case,  the Company's
failure to purchase tendered  Notes would constitute an  Event of Default  under
the  Indenture  which would,  in  turn, constitute  a  default under  the Credit
Agreement.

                                       36
<PAGE>
MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR SALE OF ASSETS

   
    The Indenture will  provide that the  Company may not  consolidate or  merge
with or into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation), or sell,
assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all
of  its properties  or assets  in one or  more related  transactions, to another
corporation,  Person  or  entity  unless  (i)  the  Company  is  the   surviving
corporation  or  the  entity or  the  Person  formed by  or  surviving  any such
consolidation or  merger (if  other than  the Company)  or to  which such  sale,
assignment,  transfer, lease,  conveyance or  other disposition  shall have been
made is a corporation organized or existing under the laws of the United States,
any state thereof or the District of Columbia; (ii) the entity or Person  formed
by  or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company) or
the entity or Person to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance
or other disposition shall have been made assumes (A) all the Obligations of the
Company under the Notes and the  Indenture pursuant to a supplemental  Indenture
in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee and (B) all of the obligations of
the Company under the Escrow Agreement; (iii) immediately after such transaction
no  Default or Event  of Default exists; and  (iv) the Company  or the entity or
Person formed by or  surviving any such consolidation  or merger (if other  than
the  Company), or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or
other disposition  shall have  been  made will  have  a Consolidated  Net  Worth
immediately  after the transaction equal to or greater than the Consolidated Net
Worth of the Company immediately preceding the transaction.
    

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

   
    The Indenture will provide that each  of the following constitutes an  Event
of  Default: (i) default for 30 days in  the payment when due of interest on the
Notes; (ii) default in payment when due of the principal of or premium, if  any,
on  the Notes at maturity  or otherwise; (iii) failure  by the Company to comply
with the provisions described under the caption "-- Repurchase at the Option  of
Holders";  (iv) failure by the  Company for 60 days  after notice to comply with
any of its other agreements in the Indenture, the Notes or the Escrow Agreement;
(v) any default occurs under any  mortgage, indenture or instrument under  which
there  may  be  issued  or  by  which there  may  be  secured  or  evidenced any
Indebtedness for  money  borrowed by  the  Company  or any  of  its  Significant
Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is Guaranteed by the Company or any of its
Significant  Subsidiaries), whether such Indebtedness or Guarantee exists on the
date of the Indenture or is thereafter created, which default (a) constitutes  a
Payment Default or (b) results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to
its   express  maturity  and,  in  each   case,  the  principal  amount  of  any
Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such  Indebtedness
under  which there has been  a Payment Default or  that has been so accelerated,
aggregates $25.0 million  or more; (vi)  failure by  the Company or  any of  its
Significant  Subsidiaries to pay final judgments  aggregating in excess of $25.0
million, which judgments are not paid, discharged  or stayed for a period of  60
days;  (vii)  certain events  of bankruptcy  or insolvency  with respect  to the
Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries and (viii) failure by the Company
to comply with the provisions described under the caption "-- Exchange Rights."
    

    If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders
of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes  may
declare  all the  Notes to be  due and payable  immediately. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, in the case  of an Event  of Default arising  from certain events  of
bankruptcy  or insolvency with respect to the  Company or any of its Significant
Subsidiaries, all outstanding Notes will become due and payable without  further
action  or notice on the part of the Trustee or any Holder. Holders of the Notes
may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the  Indenture.
Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
then  outstanding Notes may direct  the Trustee in its  exercise of any trust or
power. The  Trustee  may  withhold from  Holders  of  the Notes  notice  of  any
continuing  Default or Event  of Default (except  a Default or  Event of Default
relating to  the  payment  of  principal or  interest)  if  it  determines  that
withholding notice is in their interest.

    The  Holders of a majority  in aggregate principal amount  of the Notes then
outstanding by written notice to the Trustee on behalf of the Holders of all  of
the  Notes,  may  waive  any  existing  Default  or  Event  of  Default  and its
consequence under the Indenture except a continuing Default or Event of  Default
in the payment of interest on, or the principal of, the Notes.

                                       37
<PAGE>
    The  Company  is required  to deliver  to the  Trustee annually  a statement
regarding compliance  with  the Indenture,  and  the Company  is  required  upon
becoming  aware of any Default or Event of  Default, to deliver to the Trustee a
statement specifying such Default or Event of Default.

    A "Default" is defined to mean any event that is or with the passage of time
or the giving  of notice or  both would be  an Event of  Default and a  "Payment
Default"  is defined  to mean  any failure to  pay any  scheduled installment of
interest or principal on any Indebtedness  within the grace period provided  for
such payment in the documentation governing such Indebtedness.

NO PERSONAL LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND STOCKHOLDERS

    No  director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder of the Company,
as such, shall have any liability for  any obligations of the Company under  the
Notes,  the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of,
such obligations or  their creation. Each  Holder of Notes  by accepting a  Note
waives  and releases all such liability. The  waiver and release are part of the
consideration for issuance  of the Notes.  Such waiver may  not be effective  to
waive  liabilities under the Federal  securities laws and it  is the view of the
Commission that  such  a  waiver  is against  public  policy  and  is  therefore
unenforceable.

TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE

    A  Holder may transfer  or exchange Notes in  accordance with the Indenture.
The Registrar  and the  Trustee may  require a  Holder, among  other things,  to
furnish  appropriate  endorsements and  transfer documents  and the  Company may
require a Holder to pay any taxes and  fees required by law or permitted by  the
Indenture.

    The  registered Holder of a Note will be  treated as the owner of it for all
purposes.

AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER

    Except as provided in the next  two succeeding paragraphs, the Indenture  or
the  Notes may be amended or supplemented with  the consent of the Holders of at
least a majority in  principal amount of the  Notes then outstanding  (including
consents  obtained in connection with a tender  offer or exchange offer for such
Notes), and  any  existing default  or  compliance  with any  provision  of  the
Indenture  or the  Notes may  be waived  with the  consent of  the Holders  of a
majority in principal amount of  the then outstanding Notes (including  consents
obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for such Notes).

    Without  the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment or waiver may not
(with respect to  any Notes  held by a  non-consenting Holder):  (i) reduce  the
principal amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement
or  waiver, (ii)  reduce the principal  of or  change the fixed  maturity of any
Note, (iii) reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest on any
Note, (iv) make any change in the Indenture regarding the exchange rights  other
than  to increase the Exchange Rate, (v) waive  a Default or Event of Default in
the payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the Notes (except
a rescission of acceleration of the Notes by the Holders of at least a  majority
in  aggregate principal amount thereof and a  waiver of the payment default that
resulted from such acceleration), (vi) make any Note payable in money other than
that stated  in the  Notes,  (vii) make  any change  in  the provisions  of  the
Indenture relating to waivers of past Defaults or the rights of Holders of Notes
to  receive payments  of principal  of or  premium, if  any, or  interest on the
Notes, (viii) make any change in the foregoing amendment and waiver provisions.

    Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the  consent of any Holder of  Notes,
the  Company and the Trustee may amend  or supplement the Indenture or the Notes
to cure any ambiguity,  defect or inconsistency,  to provide for  uncertificated
Notes  in addition  to or  in place  of certificated  Notes, to  provide for the
assumption of the Company's  obligations to Holders  of Notes in  the case of  a
merger  or consolidation, to  make any change that  would provide any additional
rights or benefits to the Holders of Notes or that does not adversely affect the
legal rights  under  the  Indenture  of  any such  Holder,  or  to  comply  with
requirements  of the Commission in order to effect or maintain the qualification
of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act.

                                       38
<PAGE>
REPORTS

    The Indenture will provide  that, whether or not  required by the rules  and
regulations of the Commission, so long as any Notes are outstanding, the Company
will  furnish to  the Holders  of Notes (i)  all quarterly  and annual financial
information that  would  be  required to  be  contained  in a  filing  with  the
Commission  on Forms  10-Q and 10-K  if the  Company were required  to file such
Forms, including a "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial  Condition
and  Results of Operations" and, with respect  to the annual information only, a
report thereof by  the Company's  independent certified  public accountants  and
(ii)  all current reports that would be required to be filed with the Commission
on Form 8-K  if the Company  were required  to file such  reports. In  addition,
whether  or not  required by  the rules and  regulations of  the Commission, the
Company will file a copy of all such information and reports with the Commission
for public  availability  and  make such  information  available  to  securities
analysts and prospective investors upon request.

CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE

    The Indenture will contain certain limitations on the rights of the Trustee,
should the Trustee become a creditor of the Company, to obtain payment of claims
in  certain cases, or to realize on  certain property received in respect of any
such claim as security or otherwise. The Trustee will be permitted to engage  in
other transactions; however, if the Trustee acquires any conflicting interest it
must  eliminate  such  conflict within  90  days,  apply to  the  Commission for
permission to continue or resign.

    The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding  Notes
will  have the  right to  direct the  time, method  and place  of conducting any
proceeding for  exercising  any remedy  available  to the  Trustee,  subject  to
certain  exceptions. The  Indenture provides  that in  case an  Event of Default
shall occur (which shall  not be cured),  the Trustee will  be required, in  the
exercise of its power, to use the degree of care of a prudent man in the conduct
of  his own affairs. Subject  to such provisions, the  Trustee will not be under
any obligation to exercise any  of its rights or  powers under the Indenture  at
the request of any Holder of Notes, unless such Holder shall have offered to the
Trustee security and indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or
expense.

CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

    Set forth are certain defined terms used in the Indenture. Reference is made
to  the Indenture for a full disclosure of  all such terms, as well as any other
capitalized terms used herein for which no definition is provided.

    "AFFILIATE" of  any specified  Person  means any  other Person  directly  or
indirectly  controlling  or controlled  by or  under  direct or  indirect common
control with such specified Person.  For purposes of this definition,  "control"
(including,  with correlative meanings, the terms "controlling," "controlled by"
and "under common control with"), as used with respect to any Person, shall mean
the possession, directly  or indirectly,  of the power  to direct  or cause  the
direction  of the  management or  policies of  such Person,  whether through the
ownership of  voting  securities,  by  agreement  or  otherwise;  provided  that
beneficial  ownership of 10% or more of  the voting securities of a Person shall
be deemed to be  control. The Company  believes that it is  not an affiliate  of
Vencor.

    "CAPITAL  LEASE OBLIGATION" means, at the  time any determination thereof is
to be made, the amount of the liability in respect of a capital lease that would
at such time be required to be capitalized on a balance sheet in accordance with
GAAP.

    "CAPITAL STOCK" means  (i) in the  case of a  corporation, corporate  stock,
(ii)  in the  case of  an association  or business  entity, any  and all shares,
interests, participations, rights or  other equivalents (however designated)  of
corporate  stock,  (iii) in  the case  of  a partnership,  partnership interests
(whether general or limited) and (iv)  any other interest or participation  that
confers  on a Person the right to receive  a share of the profits and losses of,
or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person.

    "CHANGE OF CONTROL" means  the occurrence of any  of the following: (i)  the
sale,  lease, transfer, conveyance or  other disposition, in one  or a series of
related transactions, of all or substantially  all of the assets of the  Company
and  its Subsidiaries taken as a  whole to any Person or  group (as such term is
used in

                                       39
<PAGE>
Sections 13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of  the Exchange Act) other  than to a Person  or
group who, prior to such transaction, held a majority of the voting power of the
voting  stock of the  Company, (ii) the  acquisition by any  Person or group (as
defined above) of a direct or indirect  interest in more than 50% of the  voting
power  of the voting stock of the Company,  by way of merger or consolidation or
otherwise, or (iii)  the first day  on which a  majority of the  members of  the
Board of Directors of the Company are not Continuing Directors.

    The  phrase "all  or substantially  all" of the  assets of  the Company will
likely be interpreted  under applicable  state law  and will  be dependent  upon
particular  facts  and circumstances.  As a  result,  there may  be a  degree of
uncertainty in ascertaining whether a sale or transfer of "all or  substantially
all" of the assets of the Company has occurred, in which case a holder's ability
to obtain the benefit of a Change of Control Offer may be impaired. In addition,
no  assurances  can be  given that  the Company  will be  able to  acquire Notes
tendered upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event.

    "CHANGE OF CONTROL TRIGGERING EVENT" means  the occurrence of both a  Change
of Control and a Rating Decline.

    "CONSOLIDATED  NET WORTH" means, with respect to  any Person as of any date,
the sum of (i) the consolidated equity of the common stockholders of such Person
and its  consolidated Subsidiaries  as of  such date  plus (ii)  the  respective
amounts  reported on such Person's balance sheet as of such date with respect to
any series  of  preferred  stock  (other  than  Disqualified  Stock),  less  all
write-ups (other than write-ups resulting from foreign currency translations and
write-ups of tangible assets of a going concern business made in accordance with
GAAP  as a result of the acquisition of such business) subsequent to the date of
the Indenture  in  the book  value  of  any asset  owned  by such  Person  or  a
consolidated Subsidiary of such Person, and excluding the cumulative effect of a
change in accounting principles, all as determined in accordance with GAAP.

    "CONTINUING DIRECTORS" means, as of any date of determination, any member of
the  Board of Directors  of the Company  who (i) was  a member of  such Board of
Directors on the date  of the Indenture  or (ii) was  nominated for election  or
elected  to  such Board  of Directors  with the  approval of  a majority  of the
Continuing Directors  who  were  members of  such  Board  at the  time  of  such
nomination or election.

    "CREDIT  FACILITY"  means that  certain Credit  Agreement  by and  among the
Company and Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of  New York and the other banks  that
are  party thereto, providing for $1.8  billion in aggregate principal amount of
senior term  debt and  up to  $500.0 million  in aggregate  principal amount  of
senior  revolving  debt,  including  any  related  notes,  collateral documents,
instruments and agreements executed in connection therewith, and in each case as
amended, modified, extended, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced, in whole
or in part, from time to time.

    "DESIGNATED SENIOR AND SENIOR  SUBORDINATED DEBT" means (i)  so long as  any
Obligations are outstanding under the Credit Facility, such Obligations and (ii)
thereafter,  any other Senior and Senior  Subordinated Debt the principal amount
of which is $100.0 million or more  and that has been designated by the  Company
as "Designated Senior and Senior Subordinated Debt."

    "DISQUALIFIED  STOCK" means any Capital Stock that,  by its terms (or by the
terms of  any  security  into  which  it is  convertible  or  for  which  it  is
exchangeable),  or upon  the happening of  any event, matures  or is mandatorily
redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or redeemable at
the option of the Holder thereof, in whole  or in part, on or prior to the  date
on which the Notes mature.

    "GAAP"  means  generally accepted  accounting  principles set  forth  in the
opinions and pronouncements of the  Accounting Principles Board of the  American
Institute  of Certified Public Accountants  and statements and pronouncements of
the Financial Accounting  Standards Board or  in such other  statements by  such
other  entity as have been  approved by a significant  segment of the accounting
profession, as in effect from time to time.

    "GUARANTEE" means  a  guarantee (other  than  by endorsement  of  negotiable
instruments  for  collection  in the  ordinary  course of  business),  direct or
indirect, in any manner  (including, without limitation,  letters of credit  and
reimbursement  agreements  in  respect  thereof),  of all  or  any  part  of any
Indebtedness.

                                       40
<PAGE>
    "HEDGING OBLIGATIONS" means, with respect to any Person, the obligations  of
such  Person  under  (i)  interest  rate  swap  agreements,  interest  rate  cap
agreements and interest rate collar agreements, (ii) foreign exchange  contracts
or  currency swap agreements and (iii) other agreements or arrangements designed
to protect  such  Person against  fluctuations  in interest  rates  or  currency
values.

    "INDEBTEDNESS"  means, with respect to any  Person, any indebtedness of such
Person, whether or not contingent, in respect of borrowed money or evidenced  by
bonds,  notes,  debentures  or  similar instruments  or  letters  of  credit (or
reimbursement  agreements  in  respect  thereof)  or  banker's  acceptances   or
representing Capital Lease Obligations or the balance deferred and unpaid of the
purchase  price of any property or  representing any Hedging Obligations, except
any such balance that constitutes an accrued expense or trade payable, if and to
the extent any of the foregoing  indebtedness (other than letters of credit  and
Hedging  Obligations) would appear as  a liability upon a  balance sheet of such
Person prepared in accordance with GAAP,  as well as all indebtedness of  others
secured  by a Lien on any asset of such Person (whether or not such indebtedness
is assumed  by such  Person) and,  to  the extent  not otherwise  included,  the
Guarantee by such person of any indebtedness of any other Person.

    "LIEN" means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge,
security  interest or encumbrance of any kind  in respect of such asset given to
secure Indebtedness, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under
applicable  law  (including  any  conditional  sale  or  other  title  retention
agreement,  any lease in  the nature thereof,  any option or  other agreement to
sell or give a security interest in and  any filing of or agreement to give  any
financing  statement under the Uniform  Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes)
of any jurisdiction with  respect to any such  lien, pledge, charge or  security
interest).

   
    "MARKET PRICE" means, with respect to any exchange, the average of the Sales
Prices of the Vencor Common Stock (or other securities held by the Escrow Agent)
for  the five Business  Day period (appropriately adjusted  to take into account
the occurrence during  such period  of certain events  that would  result in  an
adjustment  of the Exchange Rate with respect  to the Vencor Common Stock or any
Exchange Security) commencing on  the first Business Day  after delivery by  the
Company  or  the Escrow  Agent of  notice to  the Holders  that the  Company has
elected to pay  cash in lieu  of delivering  shares of Vencor  Common Stock  (or
other  securities deliverable  upon such  exchange) in  exchange for  any Notes.
Because the Market Price  is determined after delivery  of the exchange  notice,
Holders of Notes bear the market risk with respect to the value of Vencor Common
Stock  (or  other property  deliverable  upon such  exchange)  from the  date of
delivery of such notice  until the date of  determination of such Market  Price.
The  period between the date of delivery by a holder of a notice of exchange and
the date of  determination of  the Market Price  may not  exceed seven  Business
Days.
    

    "MOODY'S" means Moody's Investors Services, Inc. and its successors.

    "OBLIGATIONS"    means   any    principal,   interest,    penalties,   fees,
indemnifications, reimbursements, damages  and other  liabilities payable  under
the documentation governing any Indebtedness.

    "RATING  AGENCIES" means (i) S&P and (ii) Moody's or (iii) if S&P or Moody's
or both shall not make  a rating of the  Notes publicly available, a  nationally
recognized securities rating agency or agencies, as the case may be, selected by
the  Company, which shall be substituted for S&P or Moody's or both, as the case
may be.

    "RATING CATEGORY"  means (i)  with  respect to  S&P,  any of  the  following
categories:  BB, B, CCC, CC, C and  D (or equivalent successor categories); (ii)
with respect to Moody's, any of the following categories: Ba, B, Caa, Ca, C  and
D  (or equivalent  successor categories); and  (iii) the equivalent  of any such
category of S&P or Moody's used by another Rating Agency. In determining whether
the rating of  the Notes  has decreased by  one or  more gradations,  gradations
within  Rating Categories  (+ and  - for  S&P, 1,  2 and  3 for  Moody's; or the
equivalent gradations for  another Rating  Agency) shall be  taken into  account
(e.g.,  with respect to S&P, a decline in rating from BB+ to BB, as well as from
BB- to B+, will constitute a decrease of one gradation).

    "RATING DATE" means the date which is 90 days prior to the earlier of (i)  a
Change of Control and (ii) the first public notice of the occurrence of a Change
of Control or of the intention by the Company to effect a Change of Control.

                                       41
<PAGE>
    "RATING DECLINE" means the occurrence on or within 90 days after the date of
the  first public  notice of  the occurrence of  a Change  of Control  or of the
intention by the Company to  effect a Change of  Control (which period shall  be
extended  so  long  as the  rating  of  the Notes  is  under  publicly announced
consideration for possible downgrade by any  of the Rating Agencies) of: (a)  in
the  event the Notes  are rated by either  Moody's or S&P on  the Rating Date as
Investment Grade, a decrease in the rating of the Notes by both Rating  Agencies
to  a rating that is below  Investment Grade, or (b) in  the event the Notes are
rated below  Investment Grade  by both  Rating Agencies  on the  Rating Date,  a
decrease  in the  rating of  the Notes by  either Rating  Agency by  one or more
gradations (including gradations  within Rating  Categories as  well as  between
Rating Categories).

   
    "SALE  PRICE" means with  respect to the  Vencor Common Stock  (or any other
Security held by the Company), for any given day, the closing sale price (or, if
no closing sale price is reported, the  average of the bid and asked prices  or,
if more than one bid or asked prices, the average of the average bid and average
asked prices) on such day of the Vencor Common Stock (or any other Security held
by  the Company) reported on  the New York Stock  Exchange Composite Tape or, in
the event the Vencor Common Stock (or any other Security held by the Company) is
not listed on  a national or  regional securities exchange,  as reported by  the
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System, or, if no
such  price is available,  the market value  of the Vencor  Common Stock (or any
other Security held by  the Company) on  such day determined  in such manner  as
shall  be satisfactory to the Company, which  shall be entitled to rely for such
purpose on the advice  of any firm of  investment bankers or securities  dealers
having  familiarity with the Vencor Common Stock  (or any other Security held by
the Company). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Sale Price shall be adjusted to
reflect the occurrence of any of the  events that has resulted in an  adjustment
of  the  Exchange  Rate if  the  Sale Price  as  calculated above  has  not been
appropriately adjusted to reflect the occurrence of such event.
    

    "SENIOR AND SENIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT" means any Indebtedness of the Company,
unless the  instrument  under  which such  Indebtedness  is  incurred  expressly
provides  that it is on a parity with or subordinated in right of payment to the
Notes and all Obligations with respect to any such Indebtedness. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in the  foregoing, Senior and Senior Subordinated  Debt
will not include (w) any liability for Federal, state, local or other taxes owed
or  owing by  the Company,  (x) any Indebtedness  of the  Company to  any of its
Subsidiaries or other Affiliates or (y) any trade payables.

    "SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDIARY" means any Subsidiary  that would be a  "significant
subsidiary"  as defined in  Article 1, Rule 1-02  of Regulation S-X, promulgated
pursuant to the Securities Act, as such  Regulation is in effect on the date  of
the Indenture.

    "S&P" means Standard & Poor's Corporation and its successors.

    "SUBSIDIARY"  means,  with  respect  to  any  Person,  (i)  any corporation,
association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total  voting
power  of shares of Capital Stock entitled  (without regard to the occurrence of
any contingency) to  vote in  the election  of directors,  managers or  trustees
thereof  is at  the time  owned or controlled,  directly or  indirectly, by such
Person or  one or  more other  Subsidiaries  of that  Person (or  a  combination
thereof)  and (ii) any partnership (a) the  sole general partner or the managing
general partner of which is such Person  or a Subsidiary of such Person (or  any
combination thereof).

    "WEIGHTED  AVERAGE LIFE TO MATURITY" means, when applied to any indebtedness
at any  date, the  number of  years  obtained by  dividing (i)  the sum  of  the
products  obtained  by  multiplying  (a)  the  amount  of  each  then  remaining
installment, sinking  fund,  serial  maturity  or  other  required  payments  of
principal,  including payment at final maturity,  in respect thereof, by (b) the
number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between
such date and the making of such payment, by (ii) the then outstanding principal
amount of such Indebtedness.

                                       42
<PAGE>
                      DESCRIPTION OF THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

    Morgan  Guaranty  Trust Company  of New  York  ("Morgan Guaranty"),  Bank of
America N.T.&S.A., The Bank of New York and Bankers Trust Company (collectively,
the "Arranging Agents") and a syndicate of other lenders (the "Lenders") provide
the Company  with the  $2.3 billion  credit agreement  (the "Credit  Agreement")
expiring  in 2001  consisting of (i)  the six-and-a-half  year amortizing senior
term debt (the "Senior Term Debt") originally in the aggregate principal  amount
of  $1.8  billion,  and  (ii)  the  six-and-a-half  year  $500.0  million senior
revolving debt (the "Senior Revolving Debt"), with a letter of credit option not
to exceed $100.0 million. The Arranging Agents also provide a separate letter of
credit facility to the Company in an aggregate principal amount of approximately
$91.0 million, upon  terms substantially  similar to the  Credit Agreement  (the
"Metrocrest  Letter  of  Credit  Facility").  The  Metrocrest  Letter  of Credit
Facility replaced a previous letter of credit facility established in connection
with certain  bonds issued  by  Metrocrest Hospital  Authority  as part  of  the
financing  of two hospitals  operated by subsidiaries of  the Company. The Notes
will be subordinated to the Company's obligations under the Credit Agreement and
the Metrocrest Letter of Credit Facility.

    INTEREST RATE.   Loans  under the  Credit Agreement  bear interest,  at  the
option of the Company, at either (i) a base rate equal to the higher of the rate
announced  from time to time  by Morgan Guaranty as its  prime rate or the daily
federal funds rate plus 50 basis points  plus, in each case, an interest  margin
ranging  from  zero to  50  basis points  based on  the  ratio of  the Company's
consolidated net earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and  amortization
and  other noncash charges  to interest expense  and the ratio  of the Company's
consolidated total  debt  to  the Company's  consolidated  net  earnings  before
interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization and other noncash charges or (ii)
the London interbank offered rate (as adjusted for certain reserve requirements)
for 1-, 2-, 3- or 6-month periods plus an interest margin ranging from 50 to 150
basis  points based on the respective levels of the same ratios. Commitment fees
also will be payable to each Lender based on the unused amount of such  Lender's
commitment  to make loans at  rates ranging from 18.75  basis points to 50 basis
points as determined by reference to the same ratios.

    SECURITY.  The Company's obligations under the Credit Agreement are  secured
by  a first priority lien on (i) the  capital stock of the Company's present and
future direct subsidiaries,  (ii) all indebtedness  owed to the  Company by  its
subsidiaries  and (iii) the capital stock of the Company's subsidiaries that own
equity investments in Westminster and Vencor.

    MANDATORY PAYMENTS.  The Company  must make quarterly mandatory payments  on
the Senior Term Debt in each fiscal year in the annual amounts set forth below:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                        AS OF NOVEMBER 30, 1995
                                     ------------------------------
YEAR ENDED MAY 31,                   HISTORICAL    AS ADJUSTED (1)
- -----------------------------------  -----------  -----------------
<S>                                  <C>          <C>
1996...............................   $   133.1       $   133.1
1997...............................       177.5           177.5
1998...............................       222.5           222.5
1999...............................       312.5           312.5
2000...............................       357.5           357.5
2001...............................       402.5            62.5
<FN>
- ------------------------
(1)  Adjusted to reflect repayment of the Senior Term Debt from the net proceeds
     of this Offering.
</TABLE>

    Additional prepayments will be required from the proceeds of certain events,
including  the sale  of certain assets  and offerings of  equity securities. The
Credit Agreement also requires the repayment of Senior Revolving Debt (without a
corresponding reduction  in  revolving  loan  commitments)  with  a  portion  of
proceeds  of a sale or other disposition  of the equity investments in Vencor or
Westminster or of the Company's  international subsidiaries, up to an  aggregate
of  $200.0 million; thereafter, all of the remaining proceeds of such sales must
be applied to  prepay the installments  of the Senior  Term Debt. All  mandatory
prepayments  of  the Senior  Term  Debt shall  be  applied in  inverse  order of
maturity until the installments due on August  31, 2001 and in fiscal year  2001
are paid in full and then to the remaining installments on a pro rata basis.

                                       43
<PAGE>
    COVENANTS.    The  following summary  of  certain provisions  of  the Credit
Agreement does not purport to  be complete and is  qualified in its entirety  by
reference  to the Credit Agreement, including the definitions therein of certain
terms used below. A copy of the Credit Agreement has been filed as an exhibit to
the Registration  Statement of  which  this Prospectus  is  a part.  The  Credit
Agreement  includes  various  affirmative,  negative  and  financial  covenants,
including, without limitation, (i) restrictions on disposition of assets and the
making  of  acquisitions  and  other  investments,  (ii)  prohibitions  on   the
prepayment,   redemption  or   defeasance  of  the   Notes,  other  subordinated
indebtedness  and  certain  other   indebtedness,  (iii)  limitations  on   debt
incurrence  and  lien  incurrence,  (iv)  prohibitions  on  dividends  and stock
repurchases, (v)  limitations on  mergers and  changes of  business and  (vi)  a
minimum  adjusted  consolidated net  worth requirement,  a minimum  fixed charge
coverage ratio  and a  maximum  leverage ratio.  More specifically,  the  Credit
Agreement  provides that  neither the  Company nor  any Included  Subsidiary (as
defined in the Credit Agreement) will  prepay, defease or purchase any Debt  (as
defined  in the  Credit Agreement, which  definition includes the  Notes) of the
Borrower or any Included Subsidiary. The minimum consolidated net worth that the
Company must maintain is the sum of (a) $1,700,000,000, plus (b) 75% of positive
consolidated net income for each fiscal  quarter ended after November 30,  1995,
plus  (c) 100% of  the amount by which  the Company's consolidated stockholders'
equity is increased after November 30, 1994, as a result of any issuance or sale
of equity interests (other than the common stock delivered to AMH's shareholders
in connection with  the Merger). The  Credit Agreement requires  the Company  to
maintain  a fixed charge coverage ratio of  2.25 to 1 through November 30, 1996;
2.35 to  1 from  December 1,  1996  through November  30, 1997;  2.5 to  1  from
December  1, 1997 through November 30, 1998; and 3.0 to 1 thereafter. The Credit
Agreement also requires  that the ratio  of (i)  Total Debt (as  defined in  the
Credit  Agreement)  to  (ii)  Consolidated  EBITDA  (as  defined  in  the Credit
Agreement) for the  four then most  recent fiscal quarters  will not be  greater
than  3.9 to 1 through November 30, 1995; 3.5 to 1 from December 1, 1995 through
November 30, 1996; 3.0 to 1 from December 1, 1996 through November 30, 1997; 2.5
to 1 from December 1, 1997 through November 30, 1998; 2.25 to 1 from December 1,
1998 through November 30, 1999; and 2.01 to 1 thereafter. The Company  currently
is in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in the Credit Agreement.

    EVENTS  OF DEFAULT.   Events of  default under the  Credit Agreement include
various events  of  default customary  for  such type  of  agreement  including,
without  limitation, events of default for  failure to pay principal or interest
when due (subject, in the case of interest, to specified grace periods),  breach
of  a  representation  or  warranty,  failure to  comply  with  a  covenant, the
continuance of a default under  any other indebtedness exceeding $25.0  million,
including the Notes, a change in control of the Company and the cessation of any
lien  on any of the  collateral under the Credit  Agreement as a perfected first
priority lien.

                                       44
<PAGE>
                    CERTAIN FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

    The  following  discussion  describes   the  material  Federal  income   tax
consequences  of  investing  in  the  Notes.  This  discussion  is  for original
purchasers of  the Notes  and is  based on  the Federal  income tax  law now  in
effect,  which is subject  to change, possibly  retroactively. This summary does
not discuss  all aspects  of Federal  income taxation  that may  be relevant  to
particular  noteholders in  light of their  individual investment circumstances,
such as persons holding Notes as a hedge or as part of a straddle, or to certain
types of noteholders subject to special tax rules (E.G., financial institutions,
insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, and foreign persons), nor does it
discuss any  aspects of  state,  local or  foreign  tax law  consequences.  This
summary  assumes  that  investors  will hold  their  Notes  as  "capital assets"
(generally, property held  for investment)  under the Internal  Revenue Code  of
1986,  as amended. Each prospective investor is urged to consult his tax advisor
regarding the specific Federal, state, local,  and foreign income and other  tax
consequences  of the acquisition, holding, exchanging, or otherwise disposing of
Notes.

   
    In the opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom, tax counsel to the
Company ("Tax  Counsel"),  the  following disclosure,  based  on  the  foregoing
discussion,   constitutes,  in  all  material  respects,  a  fair  and  accurate
discussion of the Federal income tax consequences that are likely to be material
to a purchaser of the Notes.
    

   
    GENERAL.  There  is no precise  legal authority that  addresses the  Federal
income  tax  treatment  of exchangeable  debt  instruments  with characteristics
similar to  the  Notes. The  Internal  Revenue Service,  however,  currently  is
reviewing  the  proposed  original  issue  discount  regulations  applicable  to
"contingent payment" debt  instruments, which,  when issued in  final form,  may
address  the tax treatment of exchangeable debt instruments with characteristics
similar to the Notes. The Company believes, based on the advice of Tax  Counsel,
that  the following discussion  describes the most  appropriate tax treatment of
the  Notes  based  on  the  legal  authorities  that  are  presently  available.
Prospective investors should note that there are possible alternative treatments
that  may have different results for investors,  including some that may be less
favorable. In addition,  final original issue  discount regulations may  require
different  treatment and results. Accordingly,  each prospective investor should
consult his tax advisor  regarding the potential  alternative tax treatments  of
the Notes.
    

   
    In  the opinion of Tax  Counsel, the treatment of the  Notes as a "unit" for
Federal income  tax  purposes  (as  discussed below)  is  the  most  appropriate
treatment  based on the legal authorities  that are presently available. Because
there is no precise legal authority  that addresses the specific Federal  income
tax treatment of an exchangeable debt instrument such as the Notes, however, Tax
Counsel  is unable  to opine definitively  that the  Notes will be  treated as a
"unit." If the Notes were not treated as  a unit, the Notes would be treated  as
an  integrated debt instrument  for Federal income tax  purposes. In such event,
(i) the  original  issue  discount  discussion set  forth  below  would  not  be
applicable assuming that the issue price of the Notes was equal to the principal
amount  due at maturity and  (ii) the Federal income  tax treatment of the Notes
upon a sale, an  exchange of Notes  for Vencor Common Stock,  or an exchange  of
Notes  for cash  would be as  discussed below. The  following discussion assumes
that the Notes will be treated as a unit for Federal income tax purposes.
    

   
    The Notes  will be  treated, for  Federal  income tax  purposes, as  a  unit
composed  of  a  debt component  (I.E.,  the  stated interest  payments  and the
principal amount due at maturity) (the "Debt Component") and an option component
(I.E., the exchange feature)  (the "Option Component"). The  issue price of  the
Notes  will be apportioned to each of  these components in accordance with their
relative fair  market value  on the  date  of issuance.  For this  purpose,  the
Company  has  determined  that for  each  $1,000.00 principal  amount  of Notes,
$      will be apportioned to the Debt Component and $      will be  apportioned
to the Option Component. This issue price allocation will likely be binding upon
a holder of a Note, for Federal income tax purposes, unless such holder adopts a
different  allocation that  is explicitly  disclosed on  his Federal  income tax
return timely filed for the year in which the Note is acquired.
    

    ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT.  The Debt Component will be treated as issued  with
original  issue discount, for Federal income tax purposes, in an amount equal to
the excess of the principal amount due  at maturity over the issue price of  the
Debt  Component. Holders will be required  to include original issue discount in

                                       45
<PAGE>
ordinary income over  the period  that they  hold the  Notes in  advance of  the
receipt  of the cash attributable thereto. The amount of original issue discount
to be included in income will be determined using a constant yield method, which
will result in a greater  portion of such discount  being included in income  in
the  later part  of the  term of  the Notes.  Any amount  included in  income as
original issue discount will  increase both the adjusted  issue price of, and  a
holder's tax basis in, the Debt Component.

   
    SALE.   A holder will recognize a gain  or loss upon a sale or other taxable
disposition of a Note (other than pursuant to the holder's exercise of the right
to exchange the Note for Vencor Common Stock (the "Exchange Right") as discussed
below) in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized from the
disposition and the holder's aggregate adjusted tax basis in the Note (I.E., the
holder's aggregate  adjusted tax  basis in  the Debt  Component and  the  Option
Component).  Such gain  or loss should  be a capital  gain or loss,  and will be
long-term if the  Note has been  held for more  than one year.  It is  possible,
however,  that the contingent payment  original issue discount regulations, when
finalized, may  require  that all  or  a portion  of  such gain  be  treated  as
additional  interest income that would be subject  to tax as ordinary income. In
the  opinion  of  Tax  Counsel,  the  treatment  of  gain  recognized  upon  the
disposition of a Note as "capital gain" income is the most appropriate treatment
based  on  the legal  authorities that  are  presently available.  Because final
original issue  discount  regulations  addressing the  treatment  of  contingent
interest  have yet to  be promulgated, however,  Tax Counsel is  unable to opine
definitively on the tax treatment of such gain.
    

   
    EXCHANGE OF NOTES FOR STOCK.  The exchange of a Note for Vencor Common Stock
pursuant to  the  Exchange Right  should  be  treated, for  Federal  income  tax
purposes, as a taxable disposition of the Note and, accordingly, a holder should
recognize  a gain or loss on the consummation of the exchange in an amount equal
to the  difference between  the fair  market value  of the  Vencor Common  Stock
received and the holder's aggregate adjusted tax basis in the Note (as described
above).  Such gain  or loss  should be  a capital  gain or  loss, which  will be
long-term if the Note  has been held  for more than one  year. The adjusted  tax
basis in the Vencor Stock received pursuant to the exchange will be equal to the
fair  market value  of the  Vencor Stock  at the  time of  the exchange  and the
holding period  for such  stock will  commence  the day  following the  date  of
exchange. In the opinion of Tax Counsel, the treatment of the exchange of a Note
for  Vencor Common Stock as a taxable disposition of the Note is the most likely
treatment under  the legal  authorities that  are presently  available.  Because
there is no precise legal authority that addresses whether such an exchange will
constitute  a taxable  exchange for  Federal income  tax purposes,  however, Tax
Counsel is unable to opine definitively that such an exchange will be treated as
a taxable disposition of the Notes.  In addition, and for the reasons  discussed
above,  although  Tax  Counsel believes  that  the  character of  any  such gain
recognized in  the exchange  should be  "capital gain"  income, Tax  Counsel  is
unable to opine definitively on such treatment.
    

   
    EXCHANGE  OF NOTES FOR  CASH.  If the  holder tenders a  Note to the Company
pursuant to the  Exchange Right and  the Company elects  to settle the  exchange
with cash rather than with the Vencor Common Stock, a holder will recognize gain
or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount of cash received
in  the exchange and the  holder's aggregate adjusted tax  basis in the Note (as
described above). Although  not free from  doubt and assuming  that the Note  is
treated  as a unit  for Federal income tax  purposes, (i) a  portion of the gain
equal to the difference between the  aggregate adjusted issue price of the  Debt
Component  and  the face  amount of  the  Note should  be treated  as additional
interest income and (ii) any gain in excess thereof should be treated as capital
gain, which will be long-term if the Note has been held for more than one  year.
If  the Note were treated as an  integrated debt instrument, any gain recognized
in the exchange should be treated as a capital gain, which will be long-term  if
the  Note has been held  for more than one year.  It is possible, however, that,
regardless of whether  the Note is  treated as  a "unit" or  an integrated  debt
instrument  for  Federal income  tax purposes,  the contingent  payment original
issue discount regulations, when finalized, may require that all or a portion of
such gain be treated  as additional interest income  subject to tax as  ordinary
income.  Because  final  original  issue  discount  regulations  addressing  the
treatment of contingent  interest have  yet to  be promulgated,  Tax Counsel  is
unable to opine definitively on the tax treatment of such gain.
    

                                       46
<PAGE>
                                  UNDERWRITING

    Subject  to the terms and conditions set forth in the Underwriting Agreement
(the "Underwriting  Agreement")  between the  Company  and Donaldson,  Lufkin  &
Jenrette  Securities  Corporation ("DLJ")  and Merrill  Lynch, Pierce,  Fenner &
Smith Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch" and, together with DLJ, the "Underwriters"),
each of the Underwriters has severally agreed to purchase from the Company,  and
the Company has agreed to sell to each of the Underwriters, $          aggregate
principal  amount of  Notes set  forth opposite  its name  below, at  the public
offering price  set  forth  on the  cover  page  of this  Prospectus,  less  the
underwriting discount:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                  PRINCIPAL
                                                                                  AMOUNT OF
UNDERWRITER                                                                         NOTES
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------  --------------
<S>                                                                             <C>
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation...........................  $
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
          Incorporated........................................................
                                                                                --------------
                                                                                $
                                                                                --------------
                                                                                --------------
</TABLE>

    The  Underwriting  Agreement provides  that the  obligations of  the several
Underwriters are subject to certain conditions precedent, including the approval
of certain legal  matters by counsel.  The Company has  agreed to indemnify  the
Underwriters  against  certain liabilities  and expenses,  including liabilities
under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments that the Underwriters may
be required  to  make  in  respect thereof.  The  nature  of  the  Underwriters'
obligations  is such that the Underwriters are  committed to purchase all of the
Notes if any of the Notes are purchased by them.

    The Underwriters have  advised the Company  that they propose  to offer  the
Notes directly to the public initially at the public offering price set forth on
the  cover page of this Prospectus and to certain dealers at such offering price
less a concession not to exceed     % of the principal amount of the Notes.  The
Underwriters may reallow discounts not in excess of    % of the principal amount
of  the Notes to certain other dealers. After the initial public offering of the
Notes, the  offering  price  and other  selling  terms  may be  changed  by  the
Underwriters.

    The  Underwriters may not make any sales or series of sales of Notes with an
aggregate principal amount exceeding $    (convertible into Vencor Common  Stock
representing more than 2.5% of the voting power of the outstanding Vencor Common
Stock)  to  any  person  or  related groups  of  persons  who  would immediately
thereafter own or have the right to acquire more than 5% of the voting power  of
the outstanding Vencor Common Stock.

    The  Notes have  been approved  for listing,  subject to  official notice of
issuance, on the NYSE under the symbol  "THC D 05." Nevertheless, the Notes  are
new  issues of  securities, have  no established trading  market and  may not be
widely distributed.  The Company  has  been advised  by the  Underwriters  that,
following  the completion of this Offering, the Underwriters presently intend to
make a market in the Notes as permitted by applicable laws and regulations.  The
Underwriters,  however, are under no obligation to do so and may discontinue any
market-making activities at any time at the sole discretion of the Underwriters.
No assurance can  be given as  to the liquidity  of any trading  market for  the
Notes.

    DLJ  has provided  and is currently  retained to  provide certain investment
banking services to the  Company for which  it has received  and is entitled  to
receive  usual and customary fees. DLJ acted as financial advisor to the Company
in connection with the Merger and  the related transactions and with respect  to
the Company's investment in Hillhaven, for which it received usual and customary
fees. In addition, DLJ was the lead manager of the Senior Notes Offering.

                                       47
<PAGE>
                                 LEGAL MATTERS

    Certain legal matters as to the validity of the Notes offered hereby will be
passed  upon for the Company by Woodburn  and Wedge, Reno, Nevada. Certain legal
matters in connection with this Offering will be passed upon for the Company  by
Skadden,  Arps, Slate,  Meagher & Flom,  Los Angeles,  California. Certain legal
matters  in  connection  with  this  Offering  will  be  passed  upon  for   the
Underwriters  by Davis  Polk &  Wardwell, New  York, New  York. With  respect to
certain matters governed by Nevada law, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and
Davis Polk &  Wardwell will rely  on the  opinion of Woodburn  and Wedge,  Reno,
Nevada.

                                    EXPERTS

    The  consolidated  financial  statements and  schedule  of  Tenet Healthcare
Corporation as of  May 31,  1995 and  1994, and  for each  of the  years in  the
three-year period ended May 31, 1995, have been incorporated by reference herein
and  in the  Registration Statement  in reliance upon  the reports  of KPMG Peat
Marwick LLP, independent certified public accountants, incorporated by reference
herein, and  upon  the authority  of  said firm  as  experts in  accounting  and
auditing.  The  report  of  KPMG  Peat  Marwick  LLP  covering  the consolidated
financial statements refers to a change  in the method of accounting for  income
taxes in 1994.

    The consolidated financial statements of American Medical Holdings, Inc. and
American   Medical  International,  Inc.  incorporated  in  this  Prospectus  by
reference to the  Annual Report on  Form 10-K,  as amended, for  the year  ended
August  31, 1994, have been  so incorporated in reliance  on the report of Price
Waterhouse LLP, independent accountants, given on the authority of said firm  as
experts in auditing and accounting.

                                       48
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    NO  DEALER, SALESPERSON, OR ANY OTHER PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY
INFORMATION OR  TO  MAKE  ANY  REPRESENTATIONS OTHER  THAN  THOSE  CONTAINED  OR
INCORPORATED  BY  REFERENCE  IN THIS  PROSPECTUS  AND,  IF GIVEN  OR  MADE, SUCH
INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED
BY THE COMPANY OR THE UNDERWRITER. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN  OFFER
TO  SELL OR THE  SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER  TO BUY ANY  SECURITIES OTHER THAN THE
NOTES OFFERED HEREBY OR AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO  BUY
THE  NOTES BY ANYONE IN ANY JURISDICTION  IN WHICH SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION IS
NOT AUTHORIZED OR IN WHICH THE PERSON  MAKING SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION IS  NOT
QUALIFIED  TO DO SO OR TO ANY PERSON IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH SUCH OFFER OR
SOLICITATION IS UNLAWFUL. NEITHER THE DELIVERY  OF THIS PROSPECTUS NOR ANY  SALE
MADE HEREUNDER SHALL, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, CREATE ANY IMPLICATION THAT THERE
HAS  BEEN NO CHANGE IN THE AFFAIRS OF  THE COMPANY SINCE THE DATE HEREOF OR THAT
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED  HEREIN IS CORRECT  AS OF ANY  TIME SUBSEQUENT TO  THE
DATE HEREOF.

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

                               TABLE OF CONTENTS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    PAGE
                                                    -----
<S>                                              <C>
Available Information..........................           2
Incorporation of Certain Documents by
 Reference.....................................           2
Prospectus Summary.............................           3
Risk Factors...................................          10
Use of Proceeds................................          17
Historical and Pro Forma Capitalization........          17
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.............          17
Pro Forma Financial Information................          18
Vencor.........................................          27
Relationship Between the Company and Vencor....          27
Price Range of Vencor Common Stock and
 Dividends.....................................          29
Description of Notes...........................          30
Description of the Credit Agreement............          43
Certain Federal Income Tax Consequences........          45
Underwriting...................................          47
Legal Matters..................................          48
Experts........................................          48
</TABLE>

                                     [LOGO]

                          TENET HEALTHCARE CORPORATION

                                  $350,000,000
                    % EXCHANGEABLE SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2005

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

                                   PROSPECTUS

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

                          DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE
                                   SECURITIES CORPORATION

                              MERRILL LYNCH & CO.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
                                    PART II
                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

ITEM 14.  OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION

    The  following table sets forth the  various expenses in connection with the
sale  and  distribution   of  the  securities   being  registered,  other   than
underwriting  discounts and commissions. All of  the amounts shown are estimated
except the SEC registration fee and the  NASD filing fee. The Company will  bear
all of such expenses.

<TABLE>
<S>                                                                 <C>
SEC registration fee..............................................  $ 120,690
NASD filing fee...................................................     30,500
Rating Agency Fee.................................................    100,000
Blue sky fees and expenses........................................     30,000
Printing and engraving expenses...................................    200,000
Legal fees and expenses...........................................    250,000
Accounting fees and expenses......................................     50,000
Trustee fees......................................................     15,000
Miscellaneous.....................................................      3,810
                                                                    ---------
    Total.........................................................  $ 800,000
                                                                    ---------
                                                                    ---------
</TABLE>

ITEM 15.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

    Section 78.751 of the Nevada General Corporation Law ("Nevada Law") provides
generally  and in  pertinent part  that a  Nevada corporation  may indemnify its
directors and  officers  against  expenses, judgments,  fines,  and  settlements
actually  and reasonably incurred by  them in connection with  any civil suit or
action,  except  actions  by  or  in  the  right  of  the  corporation,  or  any
administrative or investigative proceeding if, in connection with the matters in
issue,  they acted in good faith and in  a manner they reasonably believed to be
in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, and in  connection
with  any criminal  suit or  proceeding, if  in connection  with the  matters in
issue, they  had no  reasonable cause  to believe  their conduct  was  unlawful.
Section  78.751  further  provides  that,  in  connection  with  the  defense or
settlement of  any action  by  or in  the right  of  the corporation,  a  Nevada
corporation  may indemnify its directors  and officers against expenses actually
and reasonably incurred  by them if,  in connection with  the matters in  issue,
they  acted in good faith, in a manner they reasonably believed to be in, or not
opposed to, the best interest of the corporation. Section 78.751 further permits
a Nevada corporation to  grant its directors and  officers additional rights  of
indemnification through by-law provisions and otherwise.

    Article  X of  the Restated  Articles of  Incorporation, as  amended, of the
Registrant and Article IX of the Restated By-Laws, as amended, of the Registrant
provide that the Registrant  shall indemnify its directors  and officers to  the
fullest  extent  permitted  by  Nevada  Law.  The  Registrant  has  entered into
indemnification agreements with  each of its  directors and executive  officers.
Such  indemnification agreements are intended to  provide a contractual right to
indemnification, to the maximum extent permitted by law, for expenses (including
attorneys' fees), judgments,  penalties, fines, and  amounts paid in  settlement
actually  and reasonably incurred by the  person to be indemnified in connection
with any proceeding (including, to the  extent permitted by applicable law,  any
derivative  action) to which they are, or are  threatened to be made, a party by
reason of their status in such positions. Such indemnification agreements do not
change the basic legal standards for indemnification set forth under Nevada  Law
or  the Restated Articles of Incorporation,  as amended, of the Registrant. Such
agreements are intended  to be  in furtherance, and  not in  limitation of,  the
general  right to indemnification provided in the Registrant's Restated Articles
of Incorporation, as amended.

    Section 78.037 of the Nevada Law provides that the articles of incorporation
may contain a  provision eliminating  or limiting  the personal  liability of  a
director  or officer to the corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages
for breach of fiduciary  duty as a director  provided that such provision  shall
not eliminate

                                      II-1
<PAGE>
or  limit the liability of a director or officer (i) for acts or omissions which
involve intentional misconduct  or a  knowing violation  of law,  or (ii)  under
Section  78.300  of  the  Nevada Law  (relating  to  liability  for unauthorized
acquisitions or redemptions of, or dividends on, capital stock).

    Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities  Act
may  be permitted to  directors, officers or  persons controlling the Registrant
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the  Registrant has been informed that  in
the  opinion of the  Securities and Exchange  Commission such indemnification is
against public  policy as  expressed  in the  Securities  Act and  is  therefore
unenforceable.

ITEM 16.  EXHIBITS

   
<TABLE>
<C>          <S>
        1.1* Form of Underwriting Agreement between the Company and the Underwriters
        4.1* Form of Indenture between the Company and Bank of New York, as Trustee, relating
              to the Notes (including the form of certificate representing the Notes)
        4.2* Form  of Escrow Agreement  between the Company  and Bank of  New York, as Escrow
              Agent, relating to the Vencor Common Stock
        5.1* Opinion of Woodburn and Wedge
        8.1  Opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom re: tax matters
       10.1* $2,300,000,000 Credit  Agreement,  dated as  of  February 28,  1995,  among  the
              Company,  the Lenders party thereto, Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York,
              Bank of America National  Trust and Savings Association,  The Bank of New  York
              and  Bankers  Trust Company,  as Arranging  Agents,  and Morgan  Guaranty Trust
              Company of  New York,  as Administration  Agent (Incorporated  by reference  to
              Exhibit 10(a) to the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q dated April 14,
              1995)
       10.2* Form  of Amendment No. 1  to the Credit Agreement, dated  as of August 31, 1995,
              among the Company, Morgan Guaranty Trust  Company of New York, Bank of  America
              N.T.&S.A.,  The Bank of New  York, Bankers Trust Company  and the other lenders
              parties thereto (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the  Registrant's
              Amendment  No. 1  to the Registration  Statement on Form  S-3, Registration No.
              33-62591, dated September 26, 1995)
       11.1* Statement of Computation of Per Share Earnings for the three fiscal years  ended
              May  31, 1995 (incorporated by reference to  Exhibit 11 to the Company's Annual
              Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 1995)
       11.2* Statement of Computation of Per Share Earnings for the quarters ended August 31,
              1994 and  1995  (incorporated by  reference  to  Exhibit 11  to  the  Company's
              Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended August 31, 1995)
       11.3* Statement  of Computation of  Pro Forma Per  Share Earnings for  the fiscal year
              ended May 31, 1995 and the quarters ended August 31, 1994 and 1995
       12.1* Statement of Computation of Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges
       12.2* Statement of Computation of Pro Forma Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges
       23.1* Consent of Woodburn and Wedge  (to be included in  the opinion filed as  Exhibit
              5.1)
       23.2  Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
       23.3* Consent of Price Waterhouse LLP
       23.4  Consent  of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &  Flom (to be included in the opinion
              filed as Exhibit 8.1)
       24.1* Power of Attorney (included on page II-4)
       25.1* Statement of Eligibility of  Bank of New  York, as Trustee  with respect to  the
              Notes
</TABLE>
    

- ------------------------
* Previously filed.

                                      II-2
<PAGE>
ITEM 17.  UNDERTAKINGS

    (a)  The  undersigned Registrant  hereby  undertakes that,  for  purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities  Act of 1933, each filing of  the
Registrant's  annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee  benefit
plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934)  that is incorporated by reference  in the registration statement shall be
deemed to be  a new registration  statement relating to  the securities  offered
herein,  and the offering of such securities at  that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.

    (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes  to deliver or cause to  be
delivered  with the Prospectus, to each person to whom the Prospectus is sent or
given, the latest  annual report  to security  holders that  is incorporated  by
reference   in  the  Prospectus  and  furnished  pursuant  to  and  meeting  the
requirements of Rule 14a-3  or Rule 14c-3 under  the Securities Exchange Act  of
1934;  and,  where interim  financial information  required  to be  presented by
Article 3 of Regulation S-X are not set forth in the Prospectus, to deliver,  or
cause  to be delivered to  each person to whom the  Prospectus is sent or given,
the latest quarterly report  that is specifically  incorporated by reference  in
the Prospectus to provide such interim financial information.

    (c)  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 may be permitted  to directors, officers and controlling persons  of
the  Registrant  pursuant  to  the foregoing  provisions,  the  Nevada  Law, the
Restated Articles  of Incorporation,  and the  Restated Bylaws,  as amended,  or
otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities
and  Exchange  Commission  such  indemnification  is  against  public  policy as
expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim
for indemnification  against such  liabilities (other  than the  payment by  the
Registrant  of expenses incurred  or paid by a  director, officer or controlling
person of  the Registrant  in the  successful  defense of  any action,  suit  or
proceeding)  is  asserted by  such director,  officer  or controlling  person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless  in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit  to  a  court  of  appropriate  jurisdiction  the  question  whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and  will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

    (d) The Registrant hereby undertakes that:

        (1)  For purposes of determining any  liability under the Securities Act
    of 1933, the information omitted from  the form of Prospectus filed as  part
    of  this Registration Statement in reliance  upon Rule 430A and contained in
    the form of Prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or
    (4) or 497(h) under the  Securities Act shall be deemed  to be part of  this
    Registration Statement as of the time it was declared effective.

        (2)  For the purpose  of determining any  liability under the Securities
    Act  of  1933,  each  post-effective  amendment  that  contains  a  form  of
    prospectus  shall be deemed  to be a new  registration statement relating to
    the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at  that
    time shall be deemed to be the initial BONA FIDE offering thereof.

                                      II-3
<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES

   
    Pursuant  to the requirements of the  Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
certifies that it has  reasonable grounds to  believe that it  meets all of  the
requirements  for  filing on  Form  S-3 and  has  duly caused  this Registration
Statement to  be  signed  on  its behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized,  in the City  of Santa Monica,  State of California  on December 26,
1995.
    

                                          TENET HEALTHCARE CORPORATION

                                          By:      /s/ JEFFREY C. BARBAKOW*

                                          --------------------------------------
                                                   Jeffrey C. Barbakow
                                                  CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
                                               AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

    Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of   the  Securities  Act  of  1933,   this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the dates indicated:

   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                    SIGNATURE                                    TITLE                         DATE
- --------------------------------------------------  --------------------------------  ----------------------

<C>                                                 <S>                               <C>
             /s/ JEFFREY C. BARBAKOW*               Chairman of the Board of          December 26, 1995
     ----------------------------------------        Directors and Chief Executive
               Jeffrey C. Barbakow                   Officer (Principal Executive
                 ATTORNEY-IN-FACT                    Officer)

            /s/ MICHAEL H. FOCHT, SR.*              President, Chief Operating        December 26, 1995
     ----------------------------------------        Officer and Director
              Michael H. Focht, Sr.

            /s/ RAYMOND L. MATHIASEN*               Senior Vice President and Chief   December 26, 1995
     ----------------------------------------        Financial Officer (Principal
               Raymond L. Mathiasen                  Financial and Accounting
                 ATTORNEY-IN-FACT                    Officer)

             /s/ BERNICE B. BRATTER*                Director                          December 26, 1995
     ----------------------------------------
                Bernice B. Bratter

                /s/ JOHN T. CASEY*                  Director                          December 26, 1995
     ----------------------------------------
                  John T. Casey

              /s/ MAURICE J. DEWALD*                Director                          December 26, 1995
     ----------------------------------------
                Maurice J. DeWald
</TABLE>
    

                                      II-4
<PAGE>
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                    SIGNATURE                                    TITLE                         DATE
- --------------------------------------------------  --------------------------------  ----------------------

<C>                                                 <S>                               <C>
               /s/ PETER DE WETTER*                 Director                          December 26, 1995
     ----------------------------------------
                 Peter de Wetter

             /s/ EDWARD EGBERT, M.D.*               Director                          December 26, 1995
     ----------------------------------------
               Edward Egbert, M.D.

               /s/ RAYMOND A. HAY*                  Director                          December 26, 1995
     ----------------------------------------
                  Raymond A. Hay

               /s/ LESTER B. KORN*                  Director                          December 26, 1995
     ----------------------------------------
                  Lester B. Korn

             /s/ JAMES P. LIVINGSTON*               Director                          December 26, 1995
     ----------------------------------------
               James P. Livingston

              /s/ ROBERT W. O'LEARY*                Director                          December 26, 1995
     ----------------------------------------
                Robert W. O'Leary

             /s/ THOMAS J. PRITZKER*                Director                          December 26, 1995
     ----------------------------------------
                Thomas J. Pritzker

            /s/ RICHARD S. SCHWEIKER*               Director                          December 26, 1995
     ----------------------------------------
               Richard S. Schweiker

         *By:         /s/ SCOTT M. BROWN
       -----------------------------------
                  Scott M. Brown
                 ATTORNEY-IN-FACT
</TABLE>
    

                                      II-5
<PAGE>
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                            SEQUENTIALLY
EXHIBIT                                                                                                       NUMBERED
NUMBER                                               DESCRIPTION                                                PAGE
- ------     -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ------------
<C>        <S>                                                                                              <C>
    1.1*   Form of Underwriting Agreement between the Company and the Underwriters........................
    4.1*   Form of Indenture between the Company and Bank of New York, as Trustee, relating to the Notes
            (including the form of certificate representing the Notes)....................................
    4.2*   Form of Escrow Agreement between the Company and Bank of New York, as Escrow Agent, relating to
            the Vencor Common Stock.......................................................................
    5.1*   Opinion of Woodburn and Wedge
    8.1    Opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom re: tax matters
   10.1*   $2,300,000,000 Credit Agreement, dated as of February 28, 1995, among the Company, the Lenders
            party thereto, Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, Bank of America National Trust and
            Savings Association, The Bank of New York and Bankers Trust Company, as Arranging Agents, and
            Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, as Administration Agent (Incorporated by reference
            to Exhibit 10(a) to the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q dated April 14, 1995)
   10.2*   Form of Amendment No. 1 to the Credit Agreement, dated as of August 31, 1995, among the
            Company, Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, Bank of America N.T.&S.A., The Bank of New
            York, Bankers Trust Company and the other lenders parties thereto (Incorporated by reference
            to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant's Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-3,
            Registration No. 33-62591, dated September 26, 1995)
   11.1*   Statement of Computation of Per Share Earnings for the three fiscal years ended May 31, 1995
            (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 11 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
            fiscal year ended May 31, 1995)
   11.2*   Statement of Computation of Per Share Earnings for the quarters ended August 31, 1994 and 1995
            (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 11 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
            the fiscal quarter ended August 31, 1995)
   11.3*   Statement of Computation of Pro Forma Per Share Earnings for the fiscal year ended May 31, 1995
            and the quarters ended August 31, 1994 and 1995
   12.1*   Statement of Computation of Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges
   12.2*   Statement of Computation of Pro Forma Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges
   23.1*   Consent of Woodburn and Wedge (to be included in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1)
   23.2    Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP...............................................................
   23.3*   Consent of Price Waterhouse LLP
   23.4    Consent of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (to be included in the opinion filed as Exhibit
            8.1)
   24.1*   Power of Attorney (included on page II-4)
   25.1*   Statement of Eligibility of Bank of New York, as Trustee with respect to the Notes
</TABLE>
    

- ------------------------
* Previously filed.

<PAGE>
                                                                     EXHIBIT 8.1

                              [Skadden Letterhead]

   
                               December 26, 1995
    

Tenet Healthcare Corporation
2700 Colorado Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90404

              Re: Tenet Healthcare Corporation
                 Registration Statement on Form S-3
                 File No. 33-63451
                 ------------------------------------------------

Ladies and Gentlemen:

    We  have acted as special counsel  to Tenet Healthcare Corporation, a Nevada
corporation (the "Company"), in connection  with the contemplated offering  (the
"Offering")   of  $350  million  aggregate   principal  amount  of  Exchangeable
Subordinated Notes due 2005 exchangeable for  shares of common stock of  Vencor,
Inc. (the "Exchangeable Subordinated Notes"). This opinion is being furnished in
accordance  with the requirements of Item  601(b)(8) of Regulation S-K under the
Securities Act of 1933,  as amended (the "Act").  Capitalized terms used  herein
and  not  otherwise  defined  have  the respective  meanings  set  forth  in the
Registration Statement on  Form S-3  relating to  the Exchangeable  Subordinated
Notes   initially  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  (the
"Commission") on October 17, 1995 (as  thereafter amended from time to time  and
together with all exhibits thereto, the "Registration Statement").

    Our  opinion is based upon an examination of the Registration Statement, the
form of  the Exchangeable  Subordinated  Notes, the  Indenture, and  such  other
documents  as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinion
set forth below. In our examination, we  have assumed the legal capacity of  all
natural  persons, the  genuineness of  all signatures,  the authenticity  of all
documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents  of
all  documents submitted to  us as certified,  conformed, or photostatic copies,
and the authenticity of the originals of  such copies. As to any facts  material
to  this opinion  that we  did not  independently establish  or verify,  we have
relied upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives
of the Company and  our opinion is  premised, in part, on  the veracity of  such
statements  and representations. We have also  assumed that the Offering will be
consummated in accordance  with the  description set forth  in the  Registration
Statement.

    In  rendering our opinion,  we have considered  the applicable provisions of
the Internal Revenue Code  of 1986, as  amended, Treasury regulations,  judicial
decisions,  administrative rulings,  and other  applicable authorities,  in each
case as in effect on the date hereof. The statutory provisions, regulations, and
interpretations on which this opinion is  based are subject to change, and  such
changes  could apply  retroactively. In  addition, because  there is  no precise
legal  authority   that  addresses   the  Federal   income  tax   treatment   of
<PAGE>
exchangeable  debt instruments with characteristics  similar to the Exchangeable
Subordinated Notes, there can be no assurances that the Internal Revenue Service
would not take a position  contrary to the Federal  income tax treatment of  the
Exchangeable Subordinated Notes described in the Registration Statement.

   
    This  opinion incorporates by reference the opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate,
Meagher & Flom set forth in  the section of the Registration Statement  entitled
"Certain Federal Income Tax Consequences."
    

   
    Based  on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that, although the discussion
set forth in the section of the Registration Statement entitled "Certain Federal
Income Tax Consequences" does not purport to discuss all possible Federal income
tax  considerations  of  the  acquisition,  holding,  exchanging  or   otherwise
disposing  of the Exchangeable Subordinated  Notes, such discussion constitutes,
in all material respects, a fair  and accurate discussion of the Federal  income
tax  consequences  that  are  likely  to  be  material  to  a  purchaser  of the
Exchangeable Subordinated Notes.
    

    Other than as  expressly stated above,  we express no  opinion on any  issue
relating  to the Company or to any investment therein or under any other law. We
are furnishing this opinion  to you solely in  connection with the Offering  and
this opinion is not to be used, circulated, quoted, or otherwise referred to for
any other purpose without our written permission.

    We  consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 8.1 to the Registration
Statement and to the reference to  Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom  therein
under  the caption  "Legal Matters."  In giving this  consent, we  do not hereby
admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under
Section 7 of the Act or the  rules or regulations of the Commission  promulgated
thereunder.

                                        Very truly yours,

                                        /s/ SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, MEAGHER & FLOM

                                        SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, MEAGHER & FLOM

<PAGE>
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.2

                               AUDITORS' CONSENT

The Board of Directors
Tenet Healthcare Corporation

    We  consent to the  use of our  reports dated July  25, 1995 incorporated by
reference in  the  Registration  Statement  on  Form  S-3  of  Tenet  Healthcare
Corporation,  relating to  the consolidated  balance sheets  of Tenet Healthcare
Corporation and  subsidiaries as  of May  31,  1995 and  1994, and  the  related
consolidated  statements of operations, shareholders'  equity and cash flows for
each of the years in the three-year  period ended May 31, 1995, and the  related
schedule,  and to the reference  to our firm under  the heading "Experts" in the
prospectus. Our report on the 1994 consolidated financial statements refers to a
change in the method of accounting for income taxes.

                                          KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP

   
Los Angeles, California
December 26, 1995
    


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