Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) £ in Millions		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2012 USD ($) Facility	Sep. 30, 2015 Hospital	Sep. 30, 2014 Facility	Dec. 31, 2015 GBP (£)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2010 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2010 GBP (£)
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Self-insured for professional and general liability					$ 259,718,000	$ 270,088,000	$ 344,553,000		$ 271,476,000
Compensation liability claims					67,000,000				68,000,000
Compensation and related benefits					32,000,000				34,000,000
Payment suspension period increased		180 days
Combined estimated future purchase obligations									171,000,000
Defined benefit pension plan estimated payments through 2089									224,000,000
Other retirement plan liabilities									18,000,000
Revenue Cycle Data Processing Services
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Combined estimated future purchase obligations									70,000,000
Electronic Health Records Application
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Combined estimated future purchase obligations									100,000,000
Estimated Minimum Liabilities For Physician Commitments
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Combined estimated future purchase obligations									1,000,000
Construction Commitment
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Combined estimated future purchase obligations									110,000,000
Related to Certain Equipment
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Combined estimated future purchase obligations									242,000,000
Commercial Health Insurer and Self-insured Employee Benefit Plans
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Combined estimated future purchase obligations									68,000,000
Location 1
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Minimum Insurance Deductible									50,000
Location 2
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Minimum Insurance Deductible									250,000
Earthquake
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Minimum Insurance Deductible									250,000
Earthquake | PUERTO RICO
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Commercial property insurance policies covering catastrophic losses									25,000,000
Maximum insurance deductible									25,000
Flood | Location 1
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Maximum insurance deductible									500,000
Flood | Location 2
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Maximum insurance deductible									250,000
Professional And General Liability | Psi Subsidiaries
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Reduction in professional and general liability self-insurance reserves relating to prior years					20,000,000	81,000,000
Weighting given to company-specific metrics							100.00%	75.00%
General industry metrics							0.00%	25.00%
Cygnet Health Care Limited
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of facilities | Facility			17
Property insurance | £				£ 180
Maximum | WindStormsMember
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Commercial property insurance policies covering catastrophic losses									$ 1,000,000,000
Percentage of insurance deductible									5.00%
Maximum | Earthquake
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Commercial property insurance policies covering catastrophic losses									$ 250,000,000
Maximum | Earthquake | UNITED STATES
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Commercial property insurance policies covering catastrophic losses									$ 100,000,000
Percentage of insurance deductible									5.00%
Minimum | WindStormsMember
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of insurance deductible									3.00%
Minimum | Earthquake | UNITED STATES
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of insurance deductible									1.00%
Professional Liability | Cygnet Health Care Limited
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Self-insured for professional and general liability | £											£ 10
General Liability | Cygnet Health Care Limited
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Self-insured for professional and general liability | £											£ 25
General and Professional Liability
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Self-insured for professional and general liability					192,904,000	206,290,000	$ 278,599,000		$ 203,973,000
Self-insured for professional and general liability, current					51,000,000				$ 48,000,000
Subsidiaries | Professional Liability | Maximum
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Self-insured for professional and general liability										$ 10,000,000
Subsidiaries | General Liability | Maximum
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Self-insured for professional and general liability										$ 3,000,000
Subsidiaries | General And Professional Liability Insurance Policies
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of liability for claims paid under commercially insured coverage									10.00%
Subsidiaries | General And Professional Liability Insurance Policies | Maximum
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Purchased several excess policies through commercial insurance carriers per occurrence					$ 250,000,000	$ 200,000,000			$ 250,000,000
Liability for claims paid under commercially insured coverage									60,000,000
Subsidiaries | General And Professional Liability Insurance Policies | Minimum
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Liability for claims paid under commercially insured coverage									10,000,000
Psychiatric Solutions Inc | General And Professional Liability Insurance Policies | Maximum
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Self-insured for professional and general liability									$ 3,000,000
Behavioral Health Facilities Acquired From Ascend Health Corporation
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of facilities | Facility	9
Behavioral Health Facilities Acquired From Ascend Health Corporation | General And Professional Liability Insurance Policies
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Minimum Insurance Deductible	$ 100,000
Behavioral Health Facilities Acquired From Ascend Health Corporation | General And Professional Liability Insurance Policies | Maximum
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Self-insured for professional and general liability	$ 12,000,000
Behavioral Health Care Facilities
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of facilities | Facility	21
DPW
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Repayment of legal settlement amount on demand								$ 4,000,000
Percentage of federal share on payments								55.00%
DPW | Pennsylvania
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of behavioral health care hospitals | Hospital		7