Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 14,732	$ 17,238	$ 12,558	$ 23,471
Accounts receivable, net	1,186,012	1,116,961
Supplies	104,280	101,781
Deferred income taxes	107,359	119,903
Other current assets	117,498	76,446
Total current assets	1,529,881	1,432,329
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Intercompany note receivable	0	0
Property and equipment	5,901,163	5,691,902
Less: accumulated depreciation	(2,386,484)	(2,249,733)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	3,514,679	3,442,169
Other assets:
Goodwill	3,089,172	3,049,016
Deferred charges	48,976	57,881
Other	365,364	330,328
Total assets	8,548,072	8,311,723	8,317,253
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	77,686	99,312
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	1,038,187	953,449
Federal and state taxes	0	7,127
Total current liabilities	1,115,873	1,059,888
Intercompany payable	0	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	276,462	284,589
Long-term debt	3,070,311	3,209,762
Intercompany note payable	0	0
Deferred income taxes	254,573	239,148
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	231,545	218,107
UHS common stockholders' equity	3,546,134	3,249,979
Noncontrolling interest	53,174	50,250
Total equity	3,599,308	3,300,229
Liabilities and Equity, Total	8,548,072	8,311,723
Parent
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Supplies	0	0
Deferred income taxes	63,667	76,719
Other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	63,667	76,719
Investments in subsidiaries	6,709,704	6,378,499
Intercompany receivable	51,457	226,592
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	0	0
Deferred charges	40,985	49,866
Other	7,392	8,411
Total assets	6,873,205	6,740,087
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	75,803	97,403
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	25,038	28,099
Federal and state taxes	0	4,963
Total current liabilities	100,841	130,465
Intercompany payable	0	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	2,311	7,591
Long-term debt	3,024,627	3,168,819
Intercompany note payable	0	0
Deferred income taxes	199,292	183,233
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
UHS common stockholders' equity	3,546,134	3,249,979
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	3,546,134	3,249,979
Liabilities and Equity, Total	6,873,205	6,740,087
Guarantors
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	4,530	7,990	3,570	11,949
Accounts receivable, net	825,120	799,898
Supplies	65,008	63,562
Deferred income taxes	43,692	43,184
Other current assets	103,085	63,786
Total current assets	1,041,435	978,420
Investments in subsidiaries	1,569,774	1,476,911
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Intercompany note receivable	0	0
Property and equipment	4,256,178	4,093,914
Less: accumulated depreciation	(1,579,351)	(1,478,758)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	2,676,827	2,615,156
Other assets:
Goodwill	2,589,121	2,552,190
Deferred charges	5,469	5,577
Other	294,755	251,365
Total assets	8,177,381	7,879,619
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	1,052	916
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	901,868	837,354
Federal and state taxes	0	2,164
Total current liabilities	902,920	840,434
Intercompany payable	557,113	758,003
Other noncurrent liabilities	196,428	199,104
Long-term debt	20,970	5,337
Intercompany note payable	1,104,881	982,568
Deferred income taxes	55,281	55,915
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
UHS common stockholders' equity	5,339,788	5,038,258
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	5,339,788	5,038,258
Liabilities and Equity, Total	8,177,381	7,879,619
Non Guarantors
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	10,202	9,248	8,988	11,522
Accounts receivable, net	360,892	317,063
Supplies	39,272	38,219
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other current assets	14,413	12,660
Total current assets	424,779	377,190
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany receivable	505,656	531,411
Intercompany note receivable	1,104,881	982,568
Property and equipment	1,644,985	1,597,988
Less: accumulated depreciation	(807,133)	(770,975)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	837,852	827,013
Other assets:
Goodwill	500,051	496,826
Deferred charges	2,522	2,438
Other	63,217	70,552
Total assets	3,438,958	3,287,998
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	831	993
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	111,281	87,996
Federal and state taxes	0	0
Total current liabilities	112,112	88,989
Intercompany payable	0	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	77,723	77,894
Long-term debt	24,714	35,606
Intercompany note payable	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	231,545	218,107
UHS common stockholders' equity	2,939,690	2,817,152
Noncontrolling interest	53,174	50,250
Total equity	2,992,864	2,867,402
Liabilities and Equity, Total	3,438,958	3,287,998
Consolidating Adjustments
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Supplies	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(8,279,478)	(7,855,410)
Intercompany receivable	(557,113)	(758,003)
Intercompany note receivable	(1,104,881)	(982,568)
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	(9,941,472)	(9,595,981)
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0
Federal and state taxes	0	0
Total current liabilities	0	0
Intercompany payable	(557,113)	(758,003)
Other noncurrent liabilities	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany note payable	(1,104,881)	(982,568)
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
UHS common stockholders' equity	(8,279,478)	(7,855,410)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	(8,279,478)	(7,855,410)
Liabilities and Equity, Total	$ (9,941,472)	$ (9,595,981)