Document:

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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.23

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

         This EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is made and entered into as
of July 1, 2004 by and between AHS Management Company, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and Kevin Gross, an individual ("Employee").

                                   WITNESSETH:

         WHEREAS, the Company desires to enter into this Agreement with Employee
and to provide him with the benefits set forth herein in recognition of the
valuable services he will render to the Company, and for the purposes evidenced
herein;

         WHEREAS, Employee is ready and willing to render the services provided
for, and on the terms and conditions set forth herein, and he is willing to
refrain from activities competitive with the business of the Company during the
term of and after this Agreement on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

         WHEREAS, in serving as an employee of the Company, Employee will
participate in the use and development of confidential proprietary information
about the Company, its customers and suppliers, and the methods used by the
Company and its employees in competition with other companies, as to which the
Company desires to protect fully its rights;

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
covenants and agreements herein set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:

         1. Employment. The Company hereby employs Employee and Employee accepts
such employment with the Company, subject to the terms and conditions set forth
herein. Employee shall be employed as President, Oklahoma Division and shall
perform all duties and services incident to such position, and such other
similar duties and services as may be prescribed by the Bylaws of the Company or
established by the Chairman of the Board of Directors (the "Board") of the
Company, or its parent corporation from time to time. During his employment
hereunder, Employee shall devote his best efforts and attention, on a full-time
basis, to the performance of the duties required of him as an employee of the
Company.

         2. Principal Office. Employee's principal office and normal place of
work shall be at the Company's principal executive offices in Tulsa, Oklahoma
("Principal Office").

         3. Compensation.

                  (a) As compensation for services rendered by Employee
         hereunder, Employee shall receive:

                           (1) Salary. An annual salary of $330,000, or such
                  higher salary as shall be approved by the Board from time to
                  time, which shall be payable in arrears in equal monthly
                  installments ("Salary").

                           (2) Bonus. The Company shall pay Employee an annual
                  cash bonus in an amount to be determined by the Board based on
                  whether certain reasonable objectives established by the Board
                  prior to the beginning of each fiscal year as set forth in the
                  Company's Incentive Compensation Plan (the "Plan") have been
                  met. Such bonus and objectives may be stated in a written
                  incentive compensation program which the

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                  Company intends to qualify as "performance based compensation"
                  described in Internal Revenue Code section 162(m). The bonus
                  payable during the first year will be prorated based on the
                  amount of time Employee is a Company employee during the first
                  year and shall be 75% of Employee's Salary if the Plan
                  objectives have been met, and 125% of Salary if the Plan is
                  met and exceeded by 10% or more. Thereafter, Employee shall be
                  a full participant in the Plan as adopted each year by the
                  Board.

                           (3) Fringe Benefits Employee shall be entitled during
                  the Term of this Agreement (as defined below) to such other
                  benefits of employment with Employer as are now or may
                  hereafter be in effect for Employer's senior executives with
                  duties comparable to Employee including, without limitation,
                  all incentive and deferred compensation, pension, life and
                  other insurance, disability (insured and uninsured), medical
                  and dental and other benefit plans or programs, paid time off
                  and stock option grants as approved by the Board.
                  Additionally, Employee shall be provided the opportunity to
                  buy additional life insurance at Employee's expense.

                           (4) Expenses. During the term of this Agreement, the
                  Company shall reimburse Employee promptly for all reasonable
                  travel, entertainment, parking, business meeting and similar
                  expenditures incurred in pursuance of Employer's business upon
                  receipt of reasonable supporting documentation as required by
                  Employer's policies applicable to its officers and other key
                  employees generally. As part of Employee's relocation to
                  Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Company will assist Employee with the
                  costs of his relocation in accordance with the Company's
                  relocation policy. In addition to the financial assistance
                  available under this policy, in the event the Employee's home
                  does not sell within a reasonable period of time, the Company
                  agrees after the expiration of that reasonable time period, to
                  provide reasonable financial assistance during the time period
                  the Employee's current home remains for sale.

                           (5) Withholdings. All amounts payable to Employee
                  hereunder shall be subject to such deductions or withholdings
                  as are required by law or the policies of the Company or as
                  may be authorized or directed by Employee.

                  (b) Benefits Review. Prior to the end of each fiscal year of
         the Company, the Board shall review Employee's salary and benefits
         payable hereunder. Any increases in salary or changes in fringe
         benefits determined by the Board at such annual review shall become
         effective the following month unless otherwise determined by the
         Company. Employee understands and acknowledges that the opportunity of
         an annual salary and benefit review by the Board shall not be construed
         in any manner as an express or implied agreement by the Company to
         raise or increase his salary or benefits.

                  (c) Indemnification. This Agreement hereby incorporates and
         makes a part of this agreement the Indemnification Agreement dated July
         1, 2004, by and between Employee and Ardent Health Services LLC. The
         provisions and rights guaranteed under that Agreement shall survive any
         termination of this Agreement.

         4. Confidential Information and Trade Secrets.

                  (a) Trade Secrets. Employee recognizes that Employee's
         position with the Company requires considerable responsibility and
         trust, and, in reliance on Employee's loyalty, the Company may entrust
         Employee with highly sensitive confidential, restricted and proprietary
         information involving Trade Secrets and Confidential Information. For
         purposes of this

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         Agreement, a "Trade Secret" is any scientific or technical information,
         design, process, procedure, formula or improvement that is valuable and
         not generally known to competitors of the Company. "Confidential
         Information" is any data or information, other than Trade Secrets, that
         is important, competitively sensitive, and not generally known by the
         public, including, but not limited to, the Company's business plan,
         acquisition targets, training manuals, product development plans,
         pricing procedures, market strategies, internal performance statistics,
         financial data, confidential personnel information concerning employees
         of the Company, supplier data, operational or administrative plans,
         policy manuals, and terms and conditions of contracts and agreements.
         The terms "Trade Secret" and "Confidential Information" shall not apply
         to information which is (1) made available to the general public
         without restriction by the Company, (2) obtained from a third party by
         Employee in the ordinary course of Employee's employment by the
         Company, or (3) required to be disclosed by Employee pursuant to
         subpoena or other lawful process, provided that Employee notifies the
         Company in a timely manner to allow the Company to appear to protect
         its interests.

                  (b) Non-disclosure. Except as required to perform Employee's
         duties hereunder, Employee will not use or disclose any Trade Secrets
         or Confidential Information of the Company during employment, or at any
         time after termination of employment and prior to such time as they
         cease to be Trade Secrets or Confidential Information through no act of
         Employee in violation of this Agreement.

                  (c) Material Surrender. Upon termination of Employee's
         employment with the Company, Employee will surrender to the Company all
         files, correspondence, memoranda, notes, records, manuals or other
         documents or data pertaining to the Company's business or Employee's
         employment (including all copies thereof) however prepared and whether
         maintained in paper or electronic format. Employee will also leave with
         the Company all materials involving any Trade Secrets or Confidential
         Information of the Company. All such information and materials, whether
         or not made or developed by Employee, shall be the sole and exclusive
         property of the Company, and Employee hereby assigns to the Company all
         of Employee's right, title and interest in and to any and all of such
         information and materials.

         5. Covenants. Employee shall be subject to the following covenants and
obligations:

                  (a) Non-competition covenant. While employed by the Company,
         Employee shall not compete or plan or prepare to compete with the
         Company regarding the ownership of, investment in, management of or
         operation of medical/surgical hospitals ("Hospital") in Oklahoma. For a
         period of eighteen (18) months following the termination of his
         employment, Employee shall not within the state of Oklahoma directly
         solicit any patient, third party payer, doctor or any other customer of
         the Company or any Company affiliate to purchase or provide healthcare
         services from or for Employee or his designee or new company or
         organization.

                  (b) Non-solicitation covenant. Following the termination of
         Employee's employment with the Company, for a period equal to the term
         of the non-competition covenant under Section 5(a), Employee shall not
         directly or indirectly solicit the services of or otherwise induce or
         attempt to induce any Company Employee to sever his/her employment
         relationship with the Company. For purposes of this section "Company
         Employee" shall mean (i) any employee who performs or performed (on the
         Termination Date or within the previous six (6) months of such date)
         any of his/her services at the Company's Principal Office and (ii) any
         member of the senior management staff of any Hospital owned, operated
         or managed by the Company or any affiliate of the Company.

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                  (c) Scope and Duration: Severability. The Company and Employee
         understand and agree that the scope and duration of the covenants
         contained in this Section 5 are reasonable both in time and
         geographical area and are fairly necessary to protect the business of
         the Company. Except as otherwise stated herein, such covenants shall
         survive the termination of Employee's employment. It is further agreed
         that such covenants shall be regarded as divisible and shall be
         operative as to time and geographical area to the extent that they may
         be made so and, if any part of such covenants are declared invalid or
         unenforceable, the validity and enforceability of the remainder shall
         not be affected.

                  (d) Assignment. Employee agrees that the covenants contained
         in this Section 5 shall inure to the benefit of any successor or assign
         of the Company, with the same force and effect as if such covenant had
         been made by Employee with such successor or assign.

                  (e) Exclusion. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section
         5, Employee's non-competition obligations shall not preclude Employee
         from owning less than one percent (1%) of the voting power or common
         interest in any publicly traded corporation conducting business
         activities in the healthcare industry in competition with the Company
         or any affiliate.

                  (f) Company. For purposes of this Section 5, "Company" shall
         mean Ardent Health Services LLC, Ardent Health Services, Inc., AHS
         Management Company, Inc. and Ardent Medical Services, Inc.

         6. Program Participation. Employee represents that he is, and will for
the term of this Agreement be eligible to participate in Medicare, Medicaid,
CHAMPUS, Tri-Care, and other federal health programs, and Employee shall not
have been sanctioned by the Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector
General, Cumulative Sanctions Report, or excluded by the General Services
Administration, as set forth on the List of Excluded Providers [see
http://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/exclusions.html and http://epls.arnet.gov/.]

         7. Specific Enforcement. Employee specifically acknowledges and agrees
that the restrictions set forth in Sections 4 and 5 hereof are reasonable and
necessary to protect the legitimate interests of the Company and that the
Company would not have entered into this Agreement in the absence of such
restrictions. Employee further acknowledges and agrees that any violation of the
provisions of Sections 4 and 5 hereof will result in irreparable injury to the
Company, that the remedy at law for any violation or threatened violation of
such Sections will be inadequate and that in the event of any such breach, the
Company, in addition to any other remedies or damages available to it at law or
in equity, shall be entitled to temporary injunctive relief before trial from
any court of competent jurisdiction as a matter of course and to permanent
injunctive relief without the necessity of proving actual damages. The Company
shall also have available all remedies provided under state and federal
statutes, rules and regulations as well as any and all other remedies as may
otherwise be contractually or equitably available. In addition to any other
remedy herein granted or available to Company, either at law or in equity,
Employee shall forfeit and forever release any claim or right Employee may have
to any benefits remaining under this Agreement from the date Employee breached
Section 5 of this Agreement. Any monetary damages sought by the Company under
this Section shall not include the benefits forfeited under this Section.

         8. Term. This Agreement shall continue for two (2) years from the date
first written above ("Initial Term"), unless sooner terminated in the manner set
forth herein; provided, however, that following the Initial Term, this Agreement
shall automatically renew at the end of the Initial Term for additional terms of
one (1) year (collectively the "Term") unless either party gives notice of
termination to the other not later than thirty (30) days prior to any annual
anniversary of this Agreement (a "Notice of

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Non-Renewal"). The date upon which this Agreement and Employee's employment
hereunder shall terminate, whether pursuant to the terms of this Section or
pursuant to any other provision of this Agreement shall hereafter be referred to
as the "Termination Date."

         9. Non-Renewal Termination. In the event this Agreement terminates
pursuant to a Notice of Non-Renewal, the Company shall have no further
obligation to Employee and Employee shall have no further rights or obligations
hereunder except that if the Company is the non-renewing party, the Company
shall be obligated to pay Employee, as severance compensation, the salary and
benefits set forth in Sections 14(a) and (b) of this Agreement. Employee's
obligations under Section 4 hereof shall survive the termination of this
Agreement pursuant to a Notice of Non-Renewal by either party. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary herein, Employee's obligations under Section 5 hereof
shall only apply for twelve (12) months if the Company is the non-renewing
party, but shall continue in full force and effect if Employee is the
non-renewing party.

         10. Termination Upon Death of Employee. In the event Employee dies
during the Term of this Agreement, this Agreement shall immediately terminate
and neither Employee nor the Company shall have any further obligations
hereunder.

         11. Termination by Employee For Cause. Employee may terminate this
Agreement thirty (30) days after delivery to the Board of Managers of Ardent
Health Services LLC of written notice of his intent to terminate this Agreement,
which notice alleges the occurrence of: (a) a material diminution in Employee's
office, duties or responsibilities, or (b) a material breach by the Company of
this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, Employee shall not have
the ability to terminate this Agreement if the facts alleged in such written
notice have been cured prior to the expiration of such thirty (30) day notice
period. In the event Employee's employment hereunder is terminated in accordance
with this Section, the Company shall have no further obligation to Employee and
Employee shall have no further rights or obligations hereunder, except as set
forth in Section 4 above, and except for the Company's obligation to pay
Employee, as severance compensation, the salary and benefits set forth in
Sections 14(b) and (c) of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary herein, in the event of a termination pursuant to this Section,
Employee shall have no obligations under Section 5 hereof from and after the
Termination Date.

         12. Termination by the Company for Cause. The Company shall have the
right at any time to terminate Employee's employment immediately for cause. The
term "Cause" shall mean (a) Employee's willful refusal to perform, or gross
negligence in performing, the reasonable duties of Employee's office delegated
under Section 1 of this Agreement or comply with the Company's Policy on Ethics
and Compliance, (b) Employee's conviction of or guilty plea to any crime
punishable as a felony, or involving fraud or embezzlement, (c) Employee's
change in status under Section 6 of this Agreement, (d) any act by Employee
involving moral turpitude that materially affects the performance of his duties
hereunder, or (e) Employee's use of chemical substances in a manner that
materially affects the performance of his duties hereunder. Employee's
obligations under Sections 4 and 5 hereof shall survive in full force and effect
the termination of the Agreement pursuant to this Section 12. In the event
Employee's employment hereunder is terminated in accordance with this Section,
the Company shall have no further obligation to make any payments to Employee
hereunder except for unpaid salary or unreimbursed expenses that have accrued
but have not been paid as of the Termination Date.

         13. Termination Without Cause.

                  (a) In the event that Employee is terminated by the Company
         without cause during the Term hereof (which shall not include a
         termination pursuant to Sections 9, 10, 11, 12, or 15), the Company
         shall: (1) pay Employee all bonuses and unreimbursed expenses owed to
         Employee

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         that have accrued but have not been paid as of the Termination Date;
         and (2) pay to Employee, as severance compensation, the salary and
         benefits set forth in Sections 14(a) and (b) of this Agreement.
         Employee's obligations under Section 4 hereof shall survive the
         termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section. Notwithstanding
         anything to the contrary herein, in the event of a termination pursuant
         to this Section, Section 5 shall apply in full force and effect for
         only twelve (12) months from the Termination Date.

                  (b) In the event that Employee terminates his employment with
         the Company without cause during the term hereof (which shall not
         include a termination pursuant to Sections 10, 11, 12, or 15), the
         Company shall only be obligated to pay Employee any salary and
         unreimbursed expenses owed to Employee that have accrued but have not
         been paid as of the Termination Date. Employee's obligations under
         Sections 4 and 5 hereof shall survive in full force and effect the
         termination of the Agreement pursuant to this Section 13(b).

         14. Severance.

                  (a) Amount. Employee shall receive as severance benefits,
         under the conditions set out above, eighteen (18) months salary in
         effect for Employee at the time of his termination. Employee shall also
         be eligible to continue to participate, at the Company's expense, in
         the Company's health and welfare plans (i.e. medical, dental, life and
         disability) for eighteen (18) months after the Termination Date at the
         level he was participating in as of the Termination Date. He shall also
         remain eligible to participate, on a pro rata basis, in the Company's
         Incentive Compensation Plan only for the year in which any such
         termination should occur. Employee shall also be entitled to receive
         reasonable attorney's fees and costs incurred in making a successful
         claim for compensation and benefits hereunder, including all costs of
         arbitration, mediation, or litigation, if necessary.

                  (b) Schedule of Payments. The Company will make cash payments
         due under this Section 14 in the manner described below following
         Employee's termination of employment. All other amounts and allowances
         will be provided or promptly paid upon submission of receipts or other
         evidence of expenses eligible for reimbursement.

                           (1) All cash and benefits will be paid over eighteen
                  (18) months, beginning on the first day of the month following
                  the Termination Date.

                           (2) In the event of the death of Employee prior to
                  the payment of all cash due hereunder, all remaining payments
                  may, at the Company's sole discretion either continue to be
                  paid in accordance with this section or be made in a single
                  sum to Employee's surviving spouse. If Employee is not married
                  at the time of death, such cash payments may be made to
                  Employee's estate.

         15. Disability of Employee.

                  (a) In the event Employee becomes disabled during the Term of
         this Agreement, the Company will continue to pay Employee according to
         the compensation provisions of this Agreement during the period of his
         disability, until such time as Employee's long term disability
         insurance benefits become available. However, in the event Employee is
         disabled for more than six (6) continuous months, the Company may
         terminate Employee's employment. In this case, the compensation
         provided for under this Agreement will cease, except for earned but
         unpaid Salary and Plan awards and other benefits and unreimbursed
         expenses that would be payable on a prorated basis for the fiscal year
         in which the disability occurred.

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                  (b) During the period Employee is disabled but is receiving
         payments of regular compensation described in this Agreement and as
         long as he is physically and mentally able to do so, Employee will
         furnish information and assistance to the Company and from time to time
         will make himself reasonably available to the Company to undertake
         assignments consistent with his prior position with the Company and his
         physical and mental health. If the Company fails to make a payment or
         provide a benefit required as part of this Agreement, Employee's
         obligation to furnish information and assistance will end immediately.

                  The term "Disability" shall mean the inability of Employee to
         perform the duties of his employment due to physical or emotional
         incapacity or illness (including, without limitation, alcohol or
         chemical dependency), where such inability has continued or is expected
         to continue for more than one hundred eighty (180) days in any one (1)
         year period. In the event of a dispute, the determination of Disability
         shall be made as follows: the Company and Employee (or his executor or
         personal representative, as the case may be) shall each appoint a
         physician competent in the field of medicine to which such incapacity
         or illness relates, and two physicians so selected shall select a third
         physician who shall be similarly competent. The decision of a majority
         of such physicians as to the Disability of Employee shall be binding on
         the parties hereto.

         16. Cooperation. For the duration of the non-compete in Section 5,
Employee shall provide his full cooperation to and support of the Company and
its affiliates in the defense or prosecution of one or more existing or future
court actions, governmental investigations, arbitrations, mediations or other
legal, equitable or business matters or proceedings which involve the Company,
its affiliates or any of their respective employees, officers or directors. If
Employee shall be required to travel in excess of fifty (50) miles from his
principal place of residence pursuant to this section, the Company shall
reimburse him for his reasonable travel, meal and lodging expenses.

         17. Assignment. Employee may not assign this Agreement to anyone
without the Company's prior written consent. Discharge of Employee's
undertakings in Section 4(c) hereof shall be an obligation of Employee's
executors, administrators, or other legal representatives or heirs.

         18. Notices. Any notice or other communications under this Agreement
shall be in writing, signed by the party making same, and shall be delivered
personally or sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, addressed
as follows:

         If to Employee:                 Kevin Gross

         If to the Company:              AHS Management Company, Inc.
                                         Attention: General Counsel
                                         One Burton Hills Boulevard, Suite 250
                                         Nashville, Tennessee 37215

or to such other address as may hereafter be designated by either party hereto.
All such notices shall be deemed given on the date personally delivered or
mailed.

         19. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be interpreted and enforced in
accordance with the laws of the State of Tennessee, without giving effect to the
choice of law provisions of such State.

         20. Arbitration and Waiver of Jury Trial. Any dispute among the parties
hereto shall be settled by arbitration in Nashville, Tennessee, in accordance
with the then applicable rules of the Model

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Employment Arbitration Procedures of American Arbitration Association and
judgment upon the award rendered may be entered in any court having jurisdiction
thereof. The arbitrator shall award all costs, legal expenses and fees to the
successful party. The Company and Employee each hereby waive any right to trial
by jury of any dispute arising under this Agreement.

         21. Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement
shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid, but if any one
or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal
or unenforceable in any respect for any reason, the validity, legality and
enforceability for any such provisions in every other respect and of the
remaining provisions of this Agreement shall not be in any way impaired.

         22. Modification. No waiver or modification of this Agreement or of any
covenant, condition, or limitation herein contained shall be valid unless in
writing and duly executed by the party to be charged therewith and no evidence
of any waiver or modification shall be offered or received in evidence of any
proceeding, arbitration or litigation between the parties hereunder, unless such
waiver or modification is in writing, duly executed as aforesaid and the parties
further agree that the provisions of this section may not be waived except as
herein set forth.

         23. Entire Agreement. This Agreement contains the entire agreement of
the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter contained herein. There
are no restrictions, promises, covenants or undertakings, other than those
expressly set forth herein. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and
understandings between the parties with respect to such subject matter.

         24. Employer Policies. Regulations and Guidelines for Employee.
Employer may issue, and Employee agrees to abide by, policies, rules,
regulations, guidelines, procedures or other informational material, whether in
the form of handbooks, memoranda, or otherwise, relating to its employees
("Policies"). If any provision of this Agreement conflicts with those Policies,
then this Agreement governs.

          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement on
 the day and year first above written.

                                          AHS MANAGEMENT COMPANY, INC.

                                          By:  /s/ Jamie E. Hopping
                                               ---------------------------------

                                          Title:  COO
                                                 -------------------------------

                                          EMPLOYEE

                                          /s/ Kevin Gross
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Kevin Gross

                                        8<PAGE>
                                                                   Exhibit 10.24

                            INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

         This Indemnification Agreement is made effective as of the 1st day of
July 2004, between Ardent Health Services LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company (the "Company"), and Kevin Gross (the "Indemnitee").

                              W I T N E S S E T H:

         WHEREAS, it is essential to the Company and its stockholders to attract
and retain qualified and capable directors, officers, employees, agents and
fiduciaries; and

         WHEREAS, it is the policy of the Company to indemnify its directors and
officers so as to provide them with the maximum possible protection permitted by
law; and

         WHEREAS, in recognition of Indemnitee's need for protection against
personal liability in order to induce Indemnitee to serve or continue to serve
the Company in an effective manner, and, in the case of directors and officers,
to supplement the Company's directors' and officers' liability insurance
coverage, the Company wishes to provide the Indemnitee with the benefits
contemplated by this Agreement; and

         WHEREAS, as a result of the provision of such benefits Indemnitee has
agreed to serve or to continue to serve the Company;

         NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto do hereby agree as follows:

         1. Definitions. The following terms, as used herein, shall have the
following respective meanings:

                  (a) An Affiliate: of a specified Person is a Person who
directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is
controlled by, or is under common control with, the Person specified. The term
Associate used to indicate a relationship with any Person shall mean (i) any
corporation or organization (other than the Company or a Subsidiary) of which
such Person is an officer or partner or is, directly, or indirectly, the
Beneficial Owner of ten (10) percent or more of any class of Equity Securities,
(ii) any trust or other estate in which such Person has a substantial beneficial
interest or as to which such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary
capacity (other than an Employee Plan Trustee), (iii) any Relative of such
Person, or (iv) any officer or director of any corporation controlling or
controlled by such Person.

                  (b) Beneficial Ownership: shall be determined, and a Person
shall be the Beneficial Owner of all securities which such Person is deemed to
own beneficially, pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (or any successor rule or
statutory provision), or, if

<PAGE>

said Rule 13d-3 shall be rescinded and there shall be no successor rule or
statutory provision thereto, pursuant to said Rule 13d-3 as in effect on the
date hereof; provided, however, that a Person shall, in any event, also be
deemed to be the Beneficial Owner of any Voting Shares: (A) of which such Person
or any of its Affiliates or Associates is, directly or indirectly, the
Beneficial Owner, or (B) of which such Person or any of its Affiliates or
Associates has (i) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time), pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange
rights, warrants, or options, or otherwise, or (ii) sole or shared voting or
investment power with respect thereto pursuant to any agreement, arrangement,
understanding, relationship or otherwise (but shall not be deemed to be the
Beneficial Owner of any Voting Shares solely by reason of a revocable proxy
granted for a particular meeting of stockholders, pursuant to a public
solicitation of proxies for such meeting, with respect to shares of which
neither such Person nor any such Affiliate or Associate is otherwise deemed the
Beneficial Owner), or (C) of which any other Person is, directly or indirectly,
the Beneficial Owner if such first mentioned Person or any of its Affiliates or
Associates acts with such other Person as a partnership, syndicate or other
group pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of
acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of any shares of capital stock of the
Company; and provided further, however, that (i) no director or officer of the
Company, nor any Associate or Affiliate of any such director or officer, shall,
solely by reason of any or all of such directors and officers acting in their
capacities as such, be deemed for any purposes hereof, to be the Beneficial
Owner of any Voting Shares of which any other such director or officer (or any
Associate or Affiliate thereof) is the Beneficial Owner and (ii) no trustee of
an employee stock ownership or similar plan of the Company or any Subsidiary
("Employee Plan Trustee") or any Associate or Affiliate of any such Trustee,
shall, solely by reason of being an Employee Plan Trustee or Associate or
Affiliate of an Employee Plan Trustee, be deemed for any purposes hereof to be
the Beneficial Owner of any Voting Shares held by or under any such plan.

                  (c) A Change in Control: shall be deemed to have occurred if
(A) any Person (other than (i) the Company or any Subsidiary, (ii) any pension,
profit sharing, employee stock ownership or other employee benefit plan of the
Company or any Subsidiary or any trustee of or fiduciary with respect to any
such plan when acting in such capacity, or (iii) any Person who is as of the
date and time of this Agreement the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the total
voting power of the Voting Shares) is or becomes, after the date of this
Agreement, the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the total voting power of the
Voting Shares, (B) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who
at the beginning of such period constitute the Board of Directors of the Company
and any new director whose election or appointment by the Board of Directors or
nomination or recommendation for election by the Company's stockholders was
approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still in
office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose
election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any
reason to constitute a majority thereof, or (C) the stockholders of the Company
approve a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation,
other than a

                                       2

<PAGE>

merger or consolidation which would result in the Voting Shares of the Company
outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by
remaining outstanding or by being converted into Voting Shares of the surviving
entity) at least 80% of the total voting power represented by the Voting Shares
of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding, or the stockholders of the
Company approve a plan of complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement
for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the
Company's assets.

                  (d) Claim: means any threatened, pending or completed action,
suit, arbitration or proceeding, or any inquiry or investigation, whether
brought by or in the right of the Company or otherwise, that Indemnitee in good
faith believes might lead to the institution of any such action, suit,
arbitration or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative,
investigative or other, or any appeal therefrom.

                  (e) Equity Security: shall have the meaning given to such term
under Rule 3a11-1 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as in effect on the date hereof.

                  (f) D&O Insurance: means any valid directors' and officers'
liability insurance policy maintained by the Company for the benefit of the
Indemnitee, if any.

                  (g) Determination: means a determination, and "Determined"
means a matter which has been determined based on the facts known at the time,
by: (i) a majority vote of disinterested directors, even though less than an
quorum, or (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of
such directors, even though less than a quorum, or (iii) if there are no such
disinterested directors or if such disinterested directors so direct, by
independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or, in the event there has been
a Change in Control, by (A) Special Independent Counsel (in a written opinion)
selected by Indemnitee as set forth in Section 6, or (B) the Board of Directors
of the Company or of the ultimate parent entity of the Company as set forth in
Section 6, or (iii) a majority of the disinterested stockholders of the Company,
or (iv) a final adjudication by a court of competent jurisdiction.

                  (h) Excluded Claim: means any payment for Losses or Expenses
in connection with any Claim: (i) based upon or attributable to Indemnitee
gaining in fact any personal profit or advantage to which Indemnitee is not
entitled; or (ii) for the return by Indemnitee of any remuneration paid to
Indemnitee without the previous approval of the stockholders of the Company
which is illegal; or (iii) for an accounting of profits in fact made from the
purchase or sale by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning
of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar
provisions of any state law; or (iv) resulting from Indemnitee's knowingly
fraudulent, dishonest or willful misconduct; or (v) the payment of which by the
Company under this Agreement is not permitted by applicable law.

                  (i) Expenses: means any reasonable expenses incurred by
Indemnitee as a result of a Claim or Claims made against Indemnitee for
Indemnifiable Events including, without limitation, attorneys' fees and all
other costs, expenses and

                                       3

<PAGE>

obligations paid or incurred in connection with investigating, defending, being
a witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to defend,
be a witness in or participate in any Claim relating to any Indemnifiable Event.

                  (j) Fines: means any fine, penalty or, with respect to an
employee benefit plan, any excise tax or penalty assessed with respect thereto.

                  (k) Indemnifiable Event: means any event or occurrence,
occurring prior to or after the date of this Agreement, related to the fact that
Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee, trustee, agent or fiduciary
of the Company or any of its Affiliates, or is or was serving at the request of
the Company as a director, officer, employee, trustee, agent or fiduciary of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, employee benefit plan, trust or
other enterprise, or by reason of anything done or not done by Indemnitee,
including, but not limited to, any breach of duty, neglect, error, misstatement,
misleading statement, omission, or other act done or wrongfully attempted by
Indemnitee, or any of the foregoing alleged by any claimant, in any such
capacity.

                  (l) Losses: means any amounts or sums which Indemnitee is
legally obligated to pay as a result of a Claim or Claims made against
Indemnitee for Indemnifiable Events including, without limitation, damages,
judgments and sums or amounts paid in settlement of a Claim or Claims, and
Fines.

                  (m) Person: means any individual, partnership, corporation,
business trust, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint
venture, governmental authority or other entity of whatever nature.

                  (n) Relative: means a Person's spouse, parents, children,
siblings, mothers- and father-in-law, sons- and daughters-in-law, and brothers-
and sisters-in-law.

                  (o) Reviewing Party: means any appropriate person or body
consisting of a member or members of the Company's Board of Directors or any
other person or body appointed by the Board (including the Special Independent
Counsel referred to in Section 6) who is not a party to the particular Claim for
which Indemnitee is seeking indemnification.

                  (p) Subsidiary: means any corporation of which fifty percent
of any class of Equity Security is owned, directly or indirectly, by the
Company.

                  (q) Voting Shares: means any issued and outstanding shares of
capital stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of
directors.

         2. Basic Indemnification Agreement. In consideration of, and as an
inducement to, the Indemnitee rendering valuable services to the Company, the
Company agrees that in the event Indemnitee is or becomes a party to or witness
or other participant in, or is threatened to be made a party to or witness or
other participant in, a Claim by

                                       4
<PAGE>

reason of (or arising in part out of) an Indemnifiable Event, the Company will
advance Expenses to and indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent authorized by
law, against any and all Expenses and Losses (including all interest,
assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect
of such Expenses and Losses) of such Claim, whether or not such Claim proceeds
to judgment or is settled or otherwise is brought to a final disposition,
subject in each case, to the further provisions of this Agreement.

         3. Limitations on Indemnification. Notwithstanding the provisions of
Section 2, Indemnitee shall not be indemnified and held harmless from any Losses
or Expenses (a) which have been Determined, as provided herein, to constitute an
Excluded Claim; (b) to the extent Indemnitee is indemnified by the Company and
has actually received payment pursuant to the Limited Liability Company
Agreement of the Company (the "LLC Agreement"), D&O Insurance, or otherwise; or
(c) other than pursuant to the last sentence of Section 4(d) or Section 13, in
connection with any Claim initiated by Indemnitee, unless the Company has joined
in or the Board of Directors has authorized such Claim.

         4. Indemnification Procedures.

                  (a) Promptly after receipt by Indemnitee of notice of any
Claim, Indemnitee shall, if indemnification with respect thereto may be sought
from the Company under this Agreement, notify the Company of the commencement
thereof, and Indemnitee agrees further not to make any admission or effect any
settlement with respect to such Claim without the consent of the Company, except
any Claim with respect to which the Indemnitee has undertaken the defense in
accordance with the second to last sentence of Section 4(d).

                  (b) If, at the time of the receipt of such notice, the Company
has D&O Insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of the
commencement of Claim to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set
forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all
necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of
Indemnitee, all Losses and Expenses payable as a result of such Claim.

                  (c) To the extent the Company does not, at the time of the
Claim have applicable D&O Insurance, or if a Determination is made that any
Expenses arising out of such Claim will not be payable under the D&O Insurance
then in effect, the Company shall be obligated to pay the Expenses of any Claim
in advance of the final disposition thereof and the Company, if appropriate,
shall be entitled to assume the defense of such Claim, with counsel satisfactory
to Indemnitee, upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its election
so to do. After delivery of such notice, the Company will not be liable to
Indemnitee under this Agreement for any legal or other Expenses subsequently
incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with such defense other than reasonable
Expenses of investigation; provided that Indemnitee shall have the right to
employ its counsel in such Claim but the fees and expenses of such counsel
incurred after delivery of notice from the Company of its assumption of such
defense

                                       5
<PAGE>

shall be at the Indemnitee's expense; provided further that if: (i) the
employment of counsel by Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the
Company; (ii) Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a
conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any
such defense; or (iii) the Company shall not, in fact, have employed counsel to
assume the defense of such action, the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel
shall be at the expense of the Company. In addition, Indemnitee shall have the
right to appeal any Determination to a court of competent jurisdiction, and if
successful shall be entitled to receive indemnification against and for Losses
and Expenses incurred in connection with such appeal.

                  (d) All payments on account of the Company's indemnification
obligations under this Agreement shall be made within thirty (30) days of
Indemnitee's written request therefor unless a Determination is made that the
Claims giving rise to Indemnitee's request are Excluded Claims or otherwise not
payable under this Agreement, provided that all payments on account of the
Company's obligation to pay Expenses under Section 4(c) of this Agreement prior
to the final disposition of any Claim shall not be subject to any such
Determination but shall be subject to Section 4(e) of this Agreement. In the
event the Company takes the position that the Indemnitee is not entitled to
indemnification in connection with the proposed settlement of any Claim, the
Indemnitee shall have the right at its own expense to undertake defense of any
such Claim, insofar as such proceeding involves Claims against the Indemnitee,
by written notice given to the Company within ten (10) days after the Company
has notified the Indemnitee in writing of its contention that the Indemnitee is
not entitled to indemnification. If it is subsequently determined in connection
with such proceeding that the Indemnifiable Events are not Excluded Claims and
that the Indemnitee, therefore, is entitled to be indemnified under the
provisions of Section 2 hereof, the Company shall promptly indemnify the
Indemnitee.

                  (e) Indemnitee hereby expressly undertakes and agrees to
reimburse the Company for all Losses and Expenses paid by the Company in
connection with any Claim against Indemnitee in the event and only to the extent
that a Determination shall have been made by a court of competent jurisdiction
in a decision from which there is no further right to appeal that Indemnitee is
not entitled to be indemnified by the Company for such Losses and Expenses
because the Claim is an Excluded Claim or because Indemnitee is otherwise not
entitled to payment under this Agreement.

         5. Settlement. The Company shall have no obligation to indemnify
Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any Claim
effected without the Company's prior written consent. The Company shall not
settle any Claim in which it takes the position that Indemnitee is not entitled
to indemnification in connection with such settlement without the consent of the
Indemnitee, nor shall the Company settle any Claim in any manner which would
impose any Fine or any obligation on Indemnitee, without Indemnitee's written
consent. Neither the Company nor Indemnitee shall unreasonably withhold their
consent to any proposed settlement.

                                       6
<PAGE>

         6. Change in Control; Extraordinary Transactions. The Company and
Indemnitee agree that if there is a Change in Control of the Company (other than
a Change in Control which has been approved by a majority of the Company's Board
of Directors who were directors immediately prior to such Change in Control),
then all Determinations thereafter with respect to the rights of Indemnitee to
be paid Losses and Expenses under this Agreement shall be made only by a special
independent counsel (the "Special Independent Counsel") selected by Indemnitee
and approved by the Company (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld)
or by a court of competent jurisdiction. The Company and the Indemnitee agree
that if there is a Change of Control which has been approved by a majority of
the Company's Board of Directors who were directors immediately prior to such
Change of Control then all Determinations thereafter with respect to the rights
of Indemnitee to be paid Losses and Expenses under this Agreement shall be made
by a majority vote of a quorum of disinterested directors of the Company or, if
the Company is a subsidiary of any other Person, then by a majority vote of a
quorum of disinterested directors of the ultimate parent entity of the Company,
or, in either case, by a court of competent jurisdiction. The Company shall pay
the reasonable fees of such Special Independent Counsel and shall indemnify such
Special Independent Counsel against any and all reasonable expenses (including
reasonable attorneys' fees), claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or
relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.

         The Company covenants and agrees that, in the event of a Change in
Control of the sort set forth in clause (B) of Section 1(c), the Company will
use its best efforts (a) to have the obligations of the Company under this
Agreement expressly assumed by the surviving, purchasing or succeeding entity,
or (b) otherwise to adequately provide for the satisfaction of the Company's
obligations under this Agreement, in a manner reasonably acceptable to the
Indemnitee.

         7. No Presumption. For purposes of this Agreement, the termination of
any Claim by judgment, order, settlement (whether with or without court
approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere, or its equivalent,
shall not, of itself, create a presumption that Indemnitee did not meet any
particular standard of conduct or have any particular belief or that a court has
determined that indemnification is not permitted by applicable law.

         8. Non-exclusivity, Duration, Etc. The rights of the Indemnitee
hereunder shall be in addition to any other rights Indemnitee may have under the
LLC Agreement, applicable law, any vote of stockholders or disinterested
directors or otherwise, both as to action in the Indemnitee's official capacity
and as to action in any other capacity by holding such office, and the rights
and obligations under this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect
after the Indemnitee ceases to serve the Company as a director, officer,
employee, agent or fiduciary, and for so long as the Indemnitee shall be subject
to any Claim by reason of (or arising in part out of) an Indemnifiable Event and
until all applicable statutes of limitation have expired. To the extent that a
change in the applicable laws of the State of Delaware (whether by statute or
judicial decision) permits greater indemnification by agreement than would be
afforded

                                       7
<PAGE>

currently under the LLC Agreement and this Agreement, it is the intent of the
parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater
benefits so afforded by such change.

         9. Liability Insurance. To the extent the Company maintains an
insurance policy or policies providing directors' and officers' liability
insurance, Indemnitee, if an officer or director of the Company, shall be
covered by such policy or policies, in accordance with its or their terms, to
the maximum extent of the coverage available for any director or officer of the
Company.

         10. Subrogation. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the
Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights
of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and shall do
everything that may be necessary to secure such rights, including the execution
of such documents necessary to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to
enforce such rights.

         11. Partial Indemnity, Etc. If Indemnitee is entitled under any
provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a
portion of the Expenses and Losses of a Claim but not, however, for the total
amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the
portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled. Moreover, notwithstanding any
other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee has been
successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any or all Claims relating
in whole or in part to any Indemnifiable Event or in defense of any issue or
matter therein, including dismissal without prejudice, Indemnitee shall be
indemnified against all Expenses incurred in connection therewith. In connection
with any Determination as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to be indemnified
hereunder the burden of proof shall be on the Company to establish that
Indemnitee is not so entitled.

         12. Liability of Company. The Indemnitee agrees that neither the
stockholders nor the directors nor any officer, employee, representative or
agent of the Company shall be personally liable for the satisfaction of the
Company's obligations under this Agreement and the Indemnitee shall look solely
to the assets of the Company for satisfaction of any claims hereunder.

         13. Enforcement.

                  (a) Indemnitee's right to indemnification and other rights
under this Agreement shall be specifically enforceable by Indemnitee only in the
state or Federal courts of the States of California, Delaware, New York or
Tennessee and shall be enforceable notwithstanding any adverse Determination by
the Company's Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, the Special
Independent Counsel or the Company's stockholders and no such Determination
shall create a presumption that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified
hereunder. In any such action, the Company shall have the burden of proving that
indemnification is not required under this Agreement.

                                       8
<PAGE>

                  (b) In the event that any action is instituted by Indemnitee
under this Agreement, or to enforce or interpret any of the terms of this
Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all court costs and
reasonable expenses, including reasonable counsel fees, incurred by Indemnitee
with respect to such action, unless the court determines that each of the
material assertions made by Indemnitee as a basis for such action were not made
in good faith or were frivolous.

         14. Severability. In the event that any provision of this Agreement is
determined by a court to require the Company to do or to fail to do an act which
is in violation of applicable law, such provision (including any provision
within a single section, paragraph or sentence) shall be limited or modified in
its application to the minimum extent necessary to avoid a violation of law,
and, as so limited or modified, such provision and the balance of this Agreement
shall be enforceable in accordance with their terms to the fullest extent
permitted by law.

         15. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to agreements made
and to be performed entirely within such State, without reference to the choice
of law provisions of such State.

         16. Consent to Jurisdiction. The Company and the Indemnitee each hereby
irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of the States of
California, Delaware, New York and Tennessee for all purposes in connection with
any action or proceeding which arises out of or relates to this Agreement and
agree that any action instituted under this Agreement shall be brought only in
the state and Federal courts of the States of California, Delaware, New York and
Tennessee.

         17. Notices. All notices, or other communications required or permitted
hereunder shall be sufficiently given for all purposes if in writing and
personally delivered, telegraphed, telexed, sent by facsimile transmission or
sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, with postage
prepaid addressed as follows, or to such other address as the parties shall have
given notice of pursuant hereto:

                  (a)      If to the Company, to:

                           Ardent Health Services LLC
                           One Burton Hills Boulevard, Suite 250
                           Nashville, Tennessee 37215
                           Attention:  General Counsel

                  (b)      If to the Indemnitee, to:

                           Mr. Kevin Gross

         18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts, each of
which shall be an original and all of which, when taken together, shall
constitute one and the same instrument.

                                       9
<PAGE>

         19. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be (i) binding upon
all successors and assigns of the Company, including any direct or indirect
successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or
substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company, and (ii) shall
be binding upon and inure to the benefit of any successors and assigns, heirs,
and personal or legal representatives of Indemnitee.

         20. Amendment; Waiver. No amendment, modification, termination or
cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective unless made in a writing
signed by each of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this
Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision
hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing
waiver.

                       [signatures to follow on next page]

                                       10
<PAGE>

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and Indemnitee have executed this
Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

                                         ARDENT HEALTH SERVICES LLC

                                         By:   /s/  Stephen C. Petrovich
                                             ----------------------------------

                                         Name: Stephen C. Petrovich

                                         Title: Secretary

                                         INDEMNITEE

                                            /s/  Kevin Gross
                                         --------------------------------------

                                         Name: Kevin Gross

                                       11

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