Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
Ruff Gary K.
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
TENET HEALTHCARE CORP [THC]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
SVP and General Counsel
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
1445 ROSS AVENUE, SUITE 1400
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/29/2012
(Street)

DALLAS, TX 75202
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock               95,590 D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
2012 February Option (Right to Buy) (1) $ 5.65 02/29/2012   A   53,000     (2) 02/28/2022 Common Stock 53,000 $ 0 53,000 D  
2012 February Restricted Units (1) (3) 02/29/2012   A   28,000     (3)   (3) Common Stock 28,000 $ 0 28,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
Ruff Gary K.
1445 ROSS AVENUE
SUITE 1400
DALLAS, TX 75202
      SVP and General Counsel  

Signatures

 /s/ Paul A. Castanon, Attorney-in-Fact for Gary K. Ruff   03/02/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) (GF) On February 29, 2012, the reporting person also received a grant of 53,000 performance stock options and 28,000 performance restricted units. These grants are subject to the issuer's attainment of a specified one-year performance metric for the year ending December 31, 2012. If the performance metric is not met, the grants will be forfeited. If the performance metric is met, the grants will vest ratably over a three-year period from the grant date.
(2) These derivative securities (stock options) vest ratably on each of the first, second and third anniversaries of the date of grant.
(3) These restricted units vest ratably on each of the first, second and third anniversaries of the date of grant. Restricted units are settled in shares of the issuer's common stock upon vesting.

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