UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

           Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
                                   Act of 1934

                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
                                 March 22, 2004

                                  ADVOCAT INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

          Delaware                    001-12996                 62-1559667
----------------------------       ----------------       ---------------------
(State or other jurisdiction       (Commission File           (IRS Employer
      of incorporation)                Number)            Identification Number)


          277 Mallory Station Road, Suite 130 Franklin, Tennessee 37067
          -------------------------------------------------------------
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                                 (615) 771-7575
                                 --------------
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                 Not applicable
                                 --------------
                         (Former name or former address,
                          if changed since last report)


Table of Contents

Item 7. Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits

(c) Exhibits

     Number                                   Exhibit
     ------                                   -------
      99.1                       Press Release dated March 22, 2004

Item 12. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On March 22, 2004,  the  Registrant  announced its results of operations for the
quarter ended December 31, 2003. A copy of the related press release is attached
as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety.

The information furnished herein, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed to
be "filed" for  purposes of Section 18 of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
nor  shall it be  deemed  incorporated  by  reference  in any  filing  under the
Securities Act of 1933.

                                   SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                            ADVOCAT INC.

                                            By:  /s/ L. Glynn Riddle, Jr.
                                                 ---------------------------
                                                 L. Glynn Riddle, Jr.
                                                 Chief Financial Officer

Date: March 22, 2004


Table of Contents

                                  Exhibit Index

   Exhibit No.
   -----------
   99.1               Press release dated March 22, 2004.