Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Schedule Of Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2008
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 41,229	$ 29,474
Accounts receivable, net	969,802	837,820
Supplies	96,775	94,330
Other current assets	99,859	130,060
Deferred income taxes	108,324	120,834
Current assets held for sale	48,916	118,598
Total current assets	1,364,905	1,331,116
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Intercompany note receivable	0	0
Property and equipment	5,106,160	4,853,972
Accumulated depreciation	(1,818,180)	(1,601,005)
Property and equipment, net	3,287,980	3,252,967
Goodwill	2,627,602	2,589,914	732,685
Deferred charges	111,780	108,660
Other	272,978	245,279
Total assets	7,665,245	7,527,936
Current maturities of long-term debt	2,479	3,449
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	832,125	819,334
Current liabilities held for sale	2,329	3,516
Federal and state taxes	0	0
Total current liabilities	836,933	826,299
Intercompany payable	0	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	401,908	380,649
Long-term debt	3,651,428	3,912,102
Intercompany note payable	0	0
Deferred income taxes	209,592	173,354
Reedemable noncontrolling interest	218,266	211,761
UHS common stockholders' equity	2,296,352	1,978,772
Noncontrolling interest	50,766	44,999
Total equity	2,347,118	2,023,771	1,792,394	1,584,488
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	7,665,245	7,527,936
Parent [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	8,891	10,646
Supplies	0	0
Other current assets	33,057	51,161
Deferred income taxes	67,189	82,416
Current assets held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	109,137	144,223
Investments in subsidiaries	5,213,573	4,694,776
Intercompany receivable	669,112	1,056,839
Intercompany note receivable	0	0
Property and equipment	0	0
Accumulated depreciation	0	0
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Goodwill	820	820
Deferred charges	103,434	101,582
Other	10,412	7,612
Total assets	6,106,488	6,005,852
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	559
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	14,201	16,318
Current liabilities held for sale	0	0
Federal and state taxes	0	16,886
Total current liabilities	14,201	33,763
Intercompany payable	0	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	49,840	13,672
Long-term debt	3,594,182	3,855,810
Intercompany note payable	0	0
Deferred income taxes	151,913	123,835
Reedemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
UHS common stockholders' equity	2,296,352	1,978,772
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	2,296,352	1,978,772
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	6,106,488	6,005,852
Guarantors [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	33,221	21,385
Accounts receivable, net	663,593	561,869
Supplies	59,467	57,069
Other current assets	56,864	69,903
Deferred income taxes	41,755	55,927
Current assets held for sale	48,916	109,781
Total current assets	903,816	875,934
Investments in subsidiaries	1,181,849	1,024,840
Intercompany receivable	0	939,667
Intercompany note receivable	0	0
Property and equipment	3,650,025	3,492,263
Accumulated depreciation	(1,184,283)	(1,029,609)
Property and equipment, net	2,465,742	2,462,654
Goodwill	2,132,103	2,153,366
Deferred charges	5,972	6,749
Other	241,107	214,694
Total assets	6,930,589	7,677,904
Current maturities of long-term debt	1,133	1,357
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	616,026	514,225
Current liabilities held for sale	2,329	3,343
Federal and state taxes	0	0
Total current liabilities	619,488	518,925
Intercompany payable	743,267	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	249,033	252,568
Long-term debt	3,616	4,834
Intercompany note payable	1,148,839	3,071,860
Deferred income taxes	58,001	49,841
Reedemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
UHS common stockholders' equity	4,108,345	3,779,876
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	4,108,345	3,779,876
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	6,930,589	7,677,904
Non Guarantors [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	8,008	8,089
Accounts receivable, net	297,318	265,305
Supplies	37,308	37,261
Other current assets	9,938	8,996
Deferred income taxes	322	322
Current assets held for sale	0	8,817
Total current assets	352,894	328,790
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany receivable	74,155	0
Intercompany note receivable	1,148,839	3,071,860
Property and equipment	1,456,135	1,361,709
Accumulated depreciation	(633,897)	(571,396)
Property and equipment, net	822,238	790,313
Goodwill	494,679	435,728
Deferred charges	2,374	329
Other	21,459	22,973
Total assets	2,916,638	4,649,993
Current maturities of long-term debt	1,346	1,533
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	201,898	288,791
Current liabilities held for sale	0	173
Federal and state taxes	620	623
Total current liabilities	203,864	291,120
Intercompany payable	0	1,996,506
Other noncurrent liabilities	103,035	114,409
Long-term debt	53,630	51,458
Intercompany note payable	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Reedemable noncontrolling interest	218,266	211,761
UHS common stockholders' equity	2,287,077	1,939,740
Noncontrolling interest	50,766	44,999
Total equity	2,337,843	1,984,739
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,916,638	4,649,993
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Supplies	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Deferred income taxes	(942)	(17,831)
Current assets held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	(942)	(17,831)
Investments in subsidiaries	(6,395,422)	(5,719,616)
Intercompany receivable	(743,267)	(1,996,506)
Intercompany note receivable	(1,148,839)	(3,071,860)
Property and equipment	0	0
Accumulated depreciation	0	0
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Deferred charges	0	0
Other	0	0
Total assets	(8,288,470)	(10,805,813)
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0
Current liabilities held for sale	0	0
Federal and state taxes	(620)	(17,509)
Total current liabilities	(620)	(17,509)
Intercompany payable	(743,267)	(1,996,506)
Other noncurrent liabilities	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany note payable	(1,148,839)	(3,071,860)
Deferred income taxes	(322)	(322)
Reedemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
UHS common stockholders' equity	(6,395,422)	(5,719,616)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	(6,395,422)	(5,719,616)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ (8,288,470)	$ (10,805,813)