Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 25,652	$ 41,229	$ 39,147	$ 29,474
Accounts receivable, net	1,042,535	969,802
Supplies	97,013	96,775
Other current assets	93,022	99,859
Deferred income taxes	123,131	108,324
Current assets held for sale	107,071	48,916
Total current assets	1,488,424	1,364,905
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Intercompany note receivable	0	0
Property and equipment	5,240,909	5,106,160
Less: accumulated depreciation	(1,924,833)	(1,818,180)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	3,316,076	3,287,980
Other assets:
Goodwill	2,594,740	2,627,602
Deferred charges	87,092	111,780
Other	294,734	272,978
Total assets	7,781,066	7,665,245	7,605,931
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	2,499	2,479
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	810,963	832,125
Current liabilities held for sale	18,112	2,329
Federal and state taxes	6,774	0
Total current liabilities	838,348	836,933
Intercompany payable	0	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	408,535	401,908
Long-term debt	3,440,962	3,651,428
Intercompany note payable	0	0
Deferred income taxes	195,692	209,592
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	234,056	218,266
UHS common stockholders' equity	2,608,782	2,296,352
Noncontrolling interest	54,691	50,766
Total equity	2,663,473	2,347,118
Liabilities and Equity, Total	7,781,066	7,665,245
Parent [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	3,314	8,891
Supplies	0	0
Other current assets	8,065	33,057
Deferred income taxes	81,894	67,189
Current assets held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	93,273	109,137
Investments in subsidiaries	5,621,719	5,213,573
Intercompany receivable	422,241	669,112
Intercompany note receivable	0	0
Property and equipment	0	0
Less: accumulated depreciation	0	0
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0	0
Other assets:
Goodwill	820	820
Deferred charges	72,388	103,434
Other	8,971	10,412
Total assets	6,219,412	6,106,488
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	22,852	14,201
Current liabilities held for sale	0	0
Federal and state taxes	5,966	0
Total current liabilities	28,548	14,201
Intercompany payable	0	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	51,880	49,840
Long-term debt	3,388,425	3,594,182
Intercompany note payable	0	0
Deferred income taxes	141,777	151,913
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
UHS common stockholders' equity	2,608,782	2,296,352
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	2,608,782	2,296,352
Liabilities and Equity, Total	6,219,412	6,106,488
Guarantors [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	18,487	33,221	32,076	21,385
Accounts receivable, net	732,142	663,593
Supplies	59,561	59,467
Other current assets	73,270	56,864
Deferred income taxes	41,237	41,755
Current assets held for sale	107,071	48,916
Total current assets	1,031,768	903,816
Investments in subsidiaries	1,276,511	1,181,849
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Intercompany note receivable	0	0
Property and equipment	3,748,468	3,650,025
Less: accumulated depreciation	(1,243,819)	(1,184,283)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	2,504,649	2,465,742
Other assets:
Goodwill	2,101,345	2,132,103
Deferred charges	5,928	5,972
Other	202,818	241,107
Total assets	7,123,019	6,930,589
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	1,029	1,133
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	604,201	616,026
Current liabilities held for sale	18,112	2,329
Federal and state taxes	188	0
Total current liabilities	623,530	619,488
Intercompany payable	598,150	743,267
Other noncurrent liabilities	250,752	249,033
Long-term debt	1,153	3,616
Intercompany note payable	1,142,539	1,148,839
Deferred income taxes	54,237	58,001
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
UHS common stockholders' equity	4,452,658	4,108,345
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	4,452,658	4,108,345
Liabilities and Equity, Total	7,123,019	6,930,589
Non Guarantors [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	7,165	8,008	7,071	8,089
Accounts receivable, net	307,079	297,318
Supplies	37,452	37,308
Other current assets	11,687	9,938
Deferred income taxes	322	322
Current assets held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	363,705	352,894
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany receivable	175,909	74,155
Intercompany note receivable	1,142,539	1,148,839
Property and equipment	1,492,539	1,456,135
Less: accumulated depreciation	(681,014)	(633,897)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	811,427	822,238
Other assets:
Goodwill	492,575	494,679
Deferred charges	8,776	2,374
Other	82,945	21,459
Total assets	3,077,876	2,916,638
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	14,710	1,346
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	184,180	201,898
Current liabilities held for sale	0	0
Federal and state taxes	620	620
Total current liabilities	186,270	203,864
Intercompany payable	0	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	105,903	103,035
Long-term debt	51,384	53,630
Intercompany note payable	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	234,056	218,266
UHS common stockholders' equity	2,445,572	2,287,077
Noncontrolling interest	54,691	50,766
Total equity	2,500,263	2,337,843
Liabilities and Equity, Total	3,077,876	2,916,638
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Supplies	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Deferred income taxes	(322)	(942)
Current assets held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	(322)	(942)
Investments in subsidiaries	6,898,230	(6,395,422)
Intercompany receivable	598,150	(743,267)
Intercompany note receivable	(1,142,539)	(1,148,839)
Property and equipment	0	0
Less: accumulated depreciation	0	0
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0	0
Other assets:
Goodwill	0	0
Deferred charges	0	0
Other	0	0
Total assets	8,639,241	(8,288,470)
Current liabilities:
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	0	(620)
Total current liabilities	0	(620)
Intercompany payable	(598,150)	(743,267)
Other noncurrent liabilities	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany note payable	(1,142,539)	(1,148,839)
Deferred income taxes	(322)	(322)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
UHS common stockholders' equity	(698,230)	(6,395,422)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	(6,898,230)	(6,395,422)
Liabilities and Equity, Total	$ (8,639,241)	$ (8,288,470)