Debt instruments maturity date.

No definition available.

Name:	uhs_DebtInstrumentsMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	uhs_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount equal to the present value (the principal) at the beginning of the lease term of minimum lease payments during the lease term (excluding that portion of the payments representing executory costs such as insurance, maintenance, and taxes to be paid by the lessor, together with any profit thereon) net of payments or other amounts applied to the principal through the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6455398&loc=d3e45280-112737

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after accumulated amortization, of debt discount.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28541-108399

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, after accumulated amortization, of debt premium.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedPremium
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Weighted average interest rate of long-term debt outstanding.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=uhs_TermLoanFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=uhs_ThreePointSevenFivePercentSeniorSecuredNotesDueTwoThousandNineteenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=uhs_FourPointSevenFivePercentSeniorSecuredNotesDueTwoThousandTwentyTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=uhs_FivePointZeroZeroPercentSeniorSecuredNotesDueTwoThousandTwentySixMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=uhs_SeniorNotesSevenPointOneTwoFivePercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAxis=uhs_NotesPayableAndMortgagesPayableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAxis=uhs_TermLoansWithVaryingMaturitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Summary of Long-Term Debt (Parenthetical) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Obligations under capitalized leases	$ 23,446
Term Loan A
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized discount	$ 1,151		$ 1,593
3.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instruments, maturity date	2019
Unamortized discount	$ 112		155
Senior notes, interest rate	3.75%
4.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instruments, maturity date	2022
Unamortized discount	$ 150		177
Senior notes, interest rate	4.75%
Unamortized net premium	$ 5,400
5.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instruments, maturity date	2026
Senior notes, interest rate	5.00%
Senior Notes 7.125%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instruments, maturity date	2016
Senior notes, interest rate	7.125%	7.125%
Unamortized net premium			4
Notes Payable And Mortgages Payable
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Obligations under capitalized leases	$ 23,446		$ 24,900
Weighted average interest	8.90%		6.80%
Term Loans With Varying Maturities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instruments, maturity date	2027