Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 12,558	$ 23,471
Accounts receivable, net	1,149,477	1,067,197
Supplies	100,324	99,000
Other current assets	86,733	87,936
Deferred income taxes	134,888	104,461
Assets of facilities held for sale	0	25,431
Total current assets	1,483,980	1,407,496
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Intercompany note receivable	0	0
Property and equipment	5,519,819	5,368,345
Less: accumulated depreciation	(2,116,414)	(1,986,110)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	3,403,405	3,382,235
Other assets:
Goodwill	3,041,346	3,036,765
Deferred charges	66,910	75,888
Other	321,612	298,459
Total assets	8,317,253	8,200,843	7,758,648
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	73,579	2,589
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	958,952	889,557
Liabilities of facilities held for sale	0	850
Federal and state taxes	16,619	1,062
Total current liabilities	1,049,150	894,058
Intercompany payable	0	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	310,948	395,355
Long-term debt	3,473,106	3,727,431
Intercompany note payable	0	0
Deferred income taxes	206,818	183,747
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	233,417	234,303
UHS common stockholders' equity	2,991,457	2,713,345
Noncontrolling interest	52,357	52,604
Total equity	3,043,814	2,765,949
Liabilities and Equity, Total	8,317,253	8,200,843
Parent
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	3,977	7,154
Supplies	0	0
Other current assets	2,477	2,188
Deferred income taxes	91,321	61,364
Assets of facilities held for sale		0
Total current assets	97,775	70,706
Investments in subsidiaries	6,099,224	5,781,479
Intercompany receivable	453,498	644,105
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	58,717	67,831
Other	8,646	9,645
Total assets	6,718,680	6,574,586
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	71,903	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	42,144	10,985
Liabilities of facilities held for sale		0
Federal and state taxes	16,093	0
Total current liabilities	130,140	10,985
Intercompany payable	0	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	18,456	46,048
Long-term debt	3,428,610	3,676,940
Intercompany note payable	0	0
Deferred income taxes	150,017	127,268
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
UHS common stockholders' equity	2,991,457	2,713,345
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	2,991,457	2,713,345
Liabilities and Equity, Total	6,718,680	6,574,586
Guarantors
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	3,570	11,949
Accounts receivable, net	780,362	741,983
Supplies	62,380	61,100
Other current assets	74,488	75,117
Deferred income taxes	43,567	43,555
Assets of facilities held for sale		0
Total current assets	964,367	933,704
Investments in subsidiaries	1,394,110	1,323,832
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Intercompany note receivable	0	0
Property and equipment	3,981,118	3,867,471
Less: accumulated depreciation	(1,384,909)	(1,288,975)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	2,596,209	2,578,496
Other assets:
Goodwill	2,544,014	2,554,531
Deferred charges	5,702	5,839
Other	237,414	209,558
Total assets	7,741,816	7,605,960
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	591	990
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	740,872	740,484
Liabilities of facilities held for sale		0
Federal and state taxes	526	900
Total current liabilities	741,989	742,374
Intercompany payable	915,545	1,004,643
Other noncurrent liabilities	186,685	243,478
Long-term debt	5,245	5,372
Intercompany note payable	1,007,453	1,007,453
Deferred income taxes	56,801	56,801
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
UHS common stockholders' equity	4,828,098	4,545,839
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	4,828,098	4,545,839
Liabilities and Equity, Total	7,741,816	7,605,960
Non Guarantors
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	8,988	11,522
Accounts receivable, net	365,138	318,060
Supplies	37,944	37,900
Other current assets	9,768	10,631
Deferred income taxes	0	322
Assets of facilities held for sale		25,431
Total current assets	421,838	403,866
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany receivable	462,047	360,538
Intercompany note receivable	1,007,453	1,007,453
Property and equipment	1,538,701	1,500,874
Less: accumulated depreciation	(731,505)	(697,135)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	807,196	803,739
Other assets:
Goodwill	496,512	481,414
Deferred charges	2,491	2,218
Other	75,552	79,256
Total assets	3,273,089	3,138,484
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	1,085	1,599
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	175,936	138,088
Liabilities of facilities held for sale		850
Federal and state taxes	0	620
Total current liabilities	177,021	141,157
Intercompany payable	0	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	105,807	105,829
Long-term debt	39,251	45,119
Intercompany note payable	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	233,417	234,303
UHS common stockholders' equity	2,665,236	2,559,472
Noncontrolling interest	52,357	52,604
Total equity	2,717,593	2,612,076
Liabilities and Equity, Total	3,273,089	3,138,484
Consolidating Adjustments
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Supplies	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	(780)
Assets of facilities held for sale		0
Total current assets	0	(780)
Investments in subsidiaries	(7,493,334)	(7,105,311)
Intercompany receivable	(915,545)	(1,004,643)
Intercompany note receivable	(1,007,453)	(1,007,453)
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	(9,416,332)	(9,118,187)
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0
Liabilities of facilities held for sale		0
Federal and state taxes	0	(458)
Total current liabilities	0	(458)
Intercompany payable	(915,545)	(1,004,643)
Other noncurrent liabilities	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany note payable	(1,007,453)	(1,007,453)
Deferred income taxes	0	(322)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
UHS common stockholders' equity	(7,493,334)	(7,105,311)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	(7,493,334)	(7,105,311)
Liabilities and Equity, Total	$ (9,416,332)	$ (9,118,187)