Discontinued Operations (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended
	Apr. 16, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014 segment	Dec. 31, 2014 segment	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 holdback_component	Jan. 28, 2015	Aug. 31, 2014
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Costs paid to sell business			$ 1,900,000
Gain on sale of business			739,000	3,430,000	65,000
Agreement period	5 years
Additional agreement period	5 years
Amount of cash received			743,000	6,053,000	0
Number of reportable segments		3	1
Revenues			11,682,000	24,989,000	28,841,000
Retroactive tail coverage insurance policies expense			1,400,000
Payments for tail coverage insurance policies during the period			600,000
Payments for tail coverage insurance policies scheduled for 2015			810,000	0
Change in liabilities			60,000	80,000	70,000
Strategic Alliance Agreement Assets [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Consideration amount								3,500,000
Escrow deposit								250,000
Net book value of assets to be sold								1,000,000
Inventory								300,000
Property, plant and equipment								700,000
Costs paid to sell business			800,000
Gain on sale of business			1,700,000
Hooper Holmes Services [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Revenues			7,289,000	14,622,000	16,474,000
Non-cash operating activities			200,000
Non-cash charge for remaining operating lease payments			1,000,000
Portamedic Service Line [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Consideration amount						8,400,000
Amount of cash received			700,000			8,100,000
Holdback Amount						2,000,000
Cash proceeds from sale of service line						6,100,000
Financial advisory, legal and accounting fees				1,000,000
Number of holdback components						2
Holdback amount, component one						1,000,000
Revenues				66,500,000	100,400,000
Income taxes related to operations of Portamedic				100,000	100,000
Assets Held-for-sale [Member] | Strategic Alliance Agreement Assets [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Inventory				800,000
Property, plant and equipment				800,000
Subsequent Event [Member] | Portamedic Service Line [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Remaining Holdback deduction							400,000
Heritage Labs and Hooper Holmes Services [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Operating cash flow from discontinued operations			1,300,000
Changes in working capital from discontinued operations			$ 1,200,000