Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statements of Income (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues before provision for doubtful accounts									$ 9,784,724	$ 8,904,071	$ 8,495,089
Less: Provision for doubtful accounts									741,273	698,983	1,127,216
Net revenues	$ 2,315,239	$ 2,227,655	$ 2,275,204	$ 2,225,353	$ 2,176,291	$ 2,038,717	$ 2,051,766	$ 1,938,314	9,043,451	8,205,088	7,367,873
Operating charges:
Salaries, wages and benefits									4,212,387	3,845,461	3,604,620
Other operating expenses									2,119,805	1,922,743	1,552,795
Supplies expense									974,088	895,693	821,089
Depreciation and amortization									398,618	375,624	337,172
Lease and rental expense									94,973	93,993	97,758
Electronic health records incentive income									(15,815)	(27,902)	(61,024)
Costs related to extinguishment of debt									0	36,171	0
Operating Expenses, Total									7,784,056	7,141,783	6,352,410
Income from operations									1,259,395	1,063,305	1,015,463
Interest expense									113,494	133,638	146,131
Interest (income) expense, affiliate									0	0	0
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates									0	0	0
Income before income taxes									1,145,901	929,667	869,332
Provision for income taxes									395,203	324,671	315,309
Net income	191,317	163,654	201,404	194,323	190,492	96,038	166,614	151,852	750,698	604,996	554,023
Less: Income attributable to noncontrolling interests	17,568	13,367	19,211	20,024	17,695	13,241	14,943	13,774	70,170	59,653	43,290
Net income attributable to UHS	$ 173,749	$ 150,287	$ 182,193	$ 174,299	$ 172,797	$ 82,797	$ 151,671	$ 138,078	680,528	545,343	510,733
Parent
Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues before provision for doubtful accounts									0	0	0
Less: Provision for doubtful accounts									0	0	0
Net revenues									0	0	0
Operating charges:
Salaries, wages and benefits									0	0	0
Other operating expenses									0	0	0
Supplies expense									0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization									0	0	0
Lease and rental expense									0	0	0
Electronic health records incentive income									0	0	0
Costs related to extinguishment of debt										36,171
Operating Expenses, Total									0	36,171	0
Income from operations									0	(36,171)	0
Interest expense									107,665	127,528	139,793
Interest (income) expense, affiliate									0	0	0
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates									(746,984)	(646,386)	(597,020)
Income before income taxes									639,319	482,687	457,227
Provision for income taxes									(41,209)	(62,656)	(53,506)
Net income									680,528	545,343	510,733
Less: Income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to UHS									680,528	545,343	510,733
Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues before provision for doubtful accounts									6,798,664	6,225,997	5,734,385
Less: Provision for doubtful accounts									481,294	471,181	657,106
Net revenues									6,317,370	5,754,816	5,077,279
Operating charges:
Salaries, wages and benefits									3,014,296	2,757,738	2,573,205
Other operating expenses									1,459,607	1,342,745	1,047,856
Supplies expense									583,644	546,578	510,078
Depreciation and amortization									280,985	269,490	236,958
Lease and rental expense									58,394	58,619	62,518
Electronic health records incentive income									(12,232)	(19,480)	(43,027)
Costs related to extinguishment of debt										0
Operating Expenses, Total									5,384,694	4,955,690	4,387,588
Income from operations									932,676	799,126	689,691
Interest expense									4,695	4,516	3,365
Interest (income) expense, affiliate									86,494	88,246	84,640
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates									(215,119)	(184,385)	(141,004)
Income before income taxes									1,056,606	890,749	742,690
Provision for income taxes									354,611	305,320	262,346
Net income									701,995	585,429	480,344
Less: Income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to UHS									701,995	585,429	480,344
Non Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues before provision for doubtful accounts									3,018,364	2,707,294	2,789,348
Less: Provision for doubtful accounts									259,979	227,802	470,110
Net revenues									2,758,385	2,479,492	2,319,238
Operating charges:
Salaries, wages and benefits									1,198,091	1,087,723	1,031,415
Other operating expenses									690,341	607,098	531,747
Supplies expense									390,444	349,115	311,011
Depreciation and amortization									117,633	106,134	100,214
Lease and rental expense									38,740	37,494	37,076
Electronic health records incentive income									(3,583)	(8,422)	(17,997)
Costs related to extinguishment of debt										0
Operating Expenses, Total									2,431,666	2,179,142	1,993,466
Income from operations									326,719	300,350	325,772
Interest expense									1,134	1,594	2,973
Interest (income) expense, affiliate									(86,494)	(88,246)	(84,640)
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates									0	0	0
Income before income taxes									412,079	387,002	407,439
Provision for income taxes									81,801	82,007	106,469
Net income									330,278	304,995	300,970
Less: Income attributable to noncontrolling interests									70,170	59,653	43,290
Net income attributable to UHS									260,108	245,342	257,680
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues before provision for doubtful accounts									(32,304)	(29,220)	(28,644)
Less: Provision for doubtful accounts									0	0	0
Net revenues									(32,304)	(29,220)	(28,644)
Operating charges:
Salaries, wages and benefits									0	0	0
Other operating expenses									(30,143)	(27,100)	(26,808)
Supplies expense									0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization									0	0	0
Lease and rental expense									(2,161)	(2,120)	(1,836)
Electronic health records incentive income									0	0	0
Costs related to extinguishment of debt										0
Operating Expenses, Total									(32,304)	(29,220)	(28,644)
Income from operations									0	0	0
Interest expense									0	0	0
Interest (income) expense, affiliate									0	0	0
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates									962,103	830,771	738,024
Income before income taxes									(962,103)	(830,771)	(738,024)
Provision for income taxes									0	0	0
Net income									(962,103)	(830,771)	(738,024)
Less: Income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to UHS									$ (962,103)	$ (830,771)	$ (738,024)