<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0203</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-06-21</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001045829</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>VANGUARD HEALTH SYSTEMS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>VHS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001298477</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Metalmark Capital LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1177 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10036</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001034822</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MSCP III LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O METALMARK CAPITAL LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1177 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10036</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001219599</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MSCP III 892 INVESTORS LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O METALMARK CAPITAL LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1177 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10036</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001208775</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MSDW CAPITAL PARTNERS IV LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O METALMARK CAPITAL LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1177 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10036</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001076244</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MSDW Capital Partners IV, L P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O METALMARK CAPITAL LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1177 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10036</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001076246</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MORGAN STANLEY DEAN WITTER CAPITAL INVESTORS IV L P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O MORGAN STANLEY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1585 BROADWAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10036</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001076249</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MSDW IV 892 INVESTORS L P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O METALMARK CAPITAL LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1177 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10036</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001034823</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Morgan Stanley Capital Partners III, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O METALMARK CAPITAL LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1177 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10036</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000922693</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MORGAN STANLEY CAPITAL INVESTORS L P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O MORGAN STANLEY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1585 BROADWAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10036</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7707834</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Subsidiary</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Metalmark Capital LLC (&quot;Metalmark&quot;) is the principal owner of Metalmark Subadvisor LLC (&quot;Subadvisor&quot;).  Subadvisor provides certain advisory services to the following limited partnerships (the &quot;Partnerships&quot;): (A) Morgan Stanley Capital Partners III, L.P. (&quot;MSCP III, L.P.&quot;), MSCP III 892 Investors, L.P. (&quot;MSCP III 892&quot;) and Morgan Stanley Capital Investors, L.P. (&quot;MSCI&quot;) and (B) Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Capital Partners IV, L.P., (&quot;MSDW Capital Partners&quot;), Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Capital Investors IV, L.P. (&quot;MSDW Capital Investors&quot;) and MSDW IV 892 Investors, L.P. (&quot;MSDW IV 892&quot;).  MSCP III, LLC (&quot;MSCP III&quot;) is the general partner of each of the limited partnerships listed in (A).  MSDW Capital Partners IV, LLC (&quot;MSDW Capital&quot;) is the general partner of each of the limited partnerships listed in (B).  The services provided by Subadvisor to the Partnerships are pursuant to a delegation of authority under a Subadvisory Agreement between Subadvisor and MSCP III and MSDW Capital,</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">(footnote 1cont.) as the general partners of the Partnerships. MSCP III, L.P. directly owns 664,170 shares of the reported securities.  MSCI directly owns 18,603 shares of the reported securities.  MSCP III 892 directly owns 68,011 shares of the reported securities.  MSDW Capital Partners directly owns 6,240,605 shares of the reported securities.  MSDW Capital Investors directly owns 174,095 shares of the reported securities.  MSDW IV 892 directly owns 542,350 shares of the reported securities. Each of the reporting persons disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported securities except to the extent of their pecuniary interests therein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Exhibit 99.1, incorporated by reference herein</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Kenneth F. Clifford, as authorized signatory of Metalmark Capital LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-06-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Kenneth F. Clifford, Chief Financial Officer of Metalmark Subadvisor LLC, as attorney-in-fact for MSCP III, LLC and MSDW Capital Partners IV, LLC and as attorney-in-fact for the general partner of each of Morgan Stanley Capital Partners III, L.P.,</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-06-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Morgan Stanley Capital Investors, L.P., MSCP III 892 Investors, L.P., Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Capital Partners IV, L.P., Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Capital Investors IV, L.P. and MSDW IV 892 Investors, L.P.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-06-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
