STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended							1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2013	Nov. 30, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 Accelerated Share Repurchase Program [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Accelerated Share Repurchase Program [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Accelerated Share Repurchase Program [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Accelerated Share Repurchase Program [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Share Repurchases Open Market [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Share Repurchases Open Market [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Share Repurchases Open Market [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Share Repurchases Open Market [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 HemoCue [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Accumulated Translation Adjustment [Member] HemoCue [Member]
Stockholder's Equity Narrative [Details]
Currency translation adjustments				$ 4,592,000	$ 22,288,000	$ (26,059,000)	$ 21,321,000															$ 28,800,000
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Tax																					3,800,000
Dividend program				$ 0.30	$ 0.17	$ 0.30	$ 0.17	$ 0.30	$ 0.30	$ 0.30	$ 0.17	$ 0.17
Original dividend payable per share		$ 0.17
Treasury stock aquired repurchase program	1,000,000,000
Share repurchase authorization remaining available	1,300,000,000					871,000,000
Treasury stock acquired accelerated share repurchase, final purchase price													350,000,000	450,000,000		450,000,000
Treasury Stock Acquired Accelerated Share Repurchase Final Shares															7,600,000
Treasury stock acquired accelerated share repurchase, final purchase price, per share															$ 59.46
Treasury stock shares acquired																	2,200,000	832,000	3,300,000	2,600,000
Treasury stock value acquired cost method						994,102,000	149,996,000										132,000,000	50,000,000	194,000,000	150,000,000
Treasury Stock Acquired Accelerated Share Repurchase Initial Shares													4,700,000	7,200,000
Accelerated share repurchase arrangement adjustment, shares															400,000
Treasury stock acquired accelerated share repurchase, initial price per share													$ 59.93
Treasury stock acquired average cost per share																	$ 59.06	$ 60.12	$ 58.66	$ 58.57
Reissuance of shares for employee benefit plan				800,000	1,249,000	2,300,000	3,400,000
Percentage increase in the quarterly cash dividend						76.00%
Annual common stock dividend rate		$ 1.20	$ 0.68
Treasury stock acquired accelerated share repurchase, initial aggregate cost													280,000,000	405,000,000
Percentage of total underlying shares under the ASR agreement initially delivered at trade date.													80.00%
Accelerated Share Repurchase Program, Adjustment				$ 45,000,000									$ 70,000,000	$ 45,000,000