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    <periodOfReport>2019-03-15</periodOfReport>

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    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001095565</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HEALTHSTREAM INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HSTM</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001249921</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PEARSON J EDWARD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>209 10TH AVE. SOUTH</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 450</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NASHVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>37203</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President and COO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

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            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Share Units</value>
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                    <value>A</value>
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                    <value>Common Stock</value>
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                    <value>4764</value>
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                    <value>4764</value>
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    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares acquired on vesting of restricted share units.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Shares withheld for payment of tax liability.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Each restricted share unit (RSU) represents the contingent right to receive one share of common stock upon vesting of the unit.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The RSU's are subject to a four year vesting schedule, contingent upon continued service at the time of vesting. 15% vest on March 10, 2016, 20% vest on March 10, 2017, 30% vest on March 10, 2018, and the remaining 35% vest on March 10, 2019.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Not applicable.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The RSU's are subject to a four year vesting schedule, contingent upon continued service at the time of vesting. 15% vest on March 17, 2017, 20% vest on March 17, 2018, 30% vest on March 17, 2019, and the remaining 35% vest on March 17, 2020.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">The RSU's are subject to a four year vesting schedule, contingent upon continued service at the time of vesting. 15% vest on March 16, 2018, 20% vest on March 16, 2019, 30% vest on March 16, 2020, and the remaining 35% vest on March 16, 2021.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">The RSU's are subject to a four year vesting schedule, contingent upon continued service at the time of vesting. 15% vest on March 15, 2019, 20% vest on March 15, 2020, 30% vest on March 15, 2021, and the remaining 35% vest on March 15, 2022.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F9">Vesting of these RSUs is contingent upon continued service at the time of vesting and the achievement of certain performance criteria. Up to 10% vest on March 15, 2019 for the period January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018; up to 15% vest on March 15, 2020 for the period January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019; up to 20% vest on March 15, 2021 for the period January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020; up to 25% vest on March 15, 2022 for the period January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021; and up to 30% vest on March 15, 2023 for the period January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023. Vesting is determined based on actual performance. The performance criteria for the period January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 was achieved; therefore 10% of the awards vested on March 15, 2019.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F10">The RSU's are subject to a four year vesting schedule, contingent upon continued service at the time of vesting. 15% vest on March 15, 2020, 20% vest on March 15, 2021, 30% vest on March 15, 2022, and the remaining 35% vest on March 15, 2023.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>J. Edward Pearson</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-03-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
