Acquisitions and Divestitures (Divestitures Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011	Feb. 28, 2011 Williamette Community Medical Group [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 SouthCrest Hospital and Claremore Regional Hospital and Other Related Facilities [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Cleveland Regional Medical Center and Other Related Healthcare Assets [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Date		Feb. 01, 2011	Sep. 01, 2011	Oct. 22, 2011
Proceeds from disposition of hospitals and other ancillary operations	$ 172,578,000	$ 14,600,000	$ 154,200,000	$ 900,000
Assets of Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation		$ 19,700,000	$ 193,000,000	$ 14,200,000

This element represents the cash inflow during the period from the sale of a component of the entity.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Investing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 12

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6943989&loc=d3e3179-108585

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 15, 16

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration