Restructuring and Other Related Charges (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Omnicare Full Potential Program [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
cumulative restructuring severance costs to date	$ 25,000,000
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense		12,429,000	14,381,000
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning	7,663,000	7,572,000	10,439,000
Restructuring liabilities, utilized	(3,643,000)	(12,338,000)	(17,248,000)
Restructuring liabilities, ending	4,020,000	7,663,000	7,572,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Cost Incurred to Date	110,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Number of Positions Eliminated, Inception to Date	2,700
Omnicare Full Potential Program [Member] | Severance and Employment Agreement Buy-outs - CWR Program [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense		6,398,000	5,759,000
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning	710,000	0	0
Restructuring liabilities, utilized	(486,000)	(5,688,000)	(5,759,000)
Restructuring liabilities, ending	224,000	710,000	0
Omnicare Full Potential Program [Member] | Lease Termination - Omnicare Full Potential Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense		3,578,000	3,416,000
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning	6,572,000	7,113,000	8,011,000
Restructuring liabilities, utilized	(2,798,000)	(4,119,000)	(4,314,000)
Restructuring liabilities, ending	3,774,000	6,572,000	7,113,000
Omnicare Full Potential Program [Member] | employment agreement buy-outs [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense		0	135,000
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning	0	0	35,000
Restructuring liabilities, utilized	0	0	(170,000)
Restructuring liabilities, ending	0	0	0
Omnicare Full Potential Program [Member] | Other assets, fees and facility exit costs [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense		2,453,000	5,071,000
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning	381,000	459,000	2,393,000
Restructuring liabilities, utilized	(359,000)	(2,531,000)	(7,005,000)
Restructuring liabilities, ending	22,000	381,000	459,000
Omnicare Full Potential Program [Member] | Other Costs Related to Restructuring [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense		1,466,000	5,433,000
Omnicare Full Potential Program [Member] | Restructuring and Other Related Charges [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense		13,895,000	19,814,000
Company-wide Reorganization Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected cumulative restructuring charges	13,000,000
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense		3,270,000
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning	2,105,000
Restructuring liabilities, utilized	(1,710,000)	(1,165,000)
Restructuring liabilities, ending	395,000	2,105,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Cost Incurred to Date	3,000,000
Company-wide Reorganization Plan [Member] | Severance and Employment Agreement Buy-outs - CWR Program [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense		446,000
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning	305,000
Restructuring liabilities, utilized	(278,000)	(141,000)
Restructuring liabilities, ending	27,000	305,000
Company-wide Reorganization Plan [Member] | employment agreement buy-outs [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense		2,733,000
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning	1,800,000
Restructuring liabilities, utilized	(1,432,000)	(933,000)
Restructuring liabilities, ending	368,000	1,800,000
Company-wide Reorganization Plan [Member] | Professional fees, facility exit costs and other [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense		91,000
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning	0
Restructuring liabilities, utilized	0	(91,000)
Restructuring liabilities, ending	$ 0	$ 0