Guarantor (Balance Sheets) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 46,398	$ 40,718	$ 34,147	$ 29,377
Accounts receivable, Net	96,752	93,454
Supplies inventory	18,406	15,039
Deferred income taxes	3,088	2,129
Prepaid and other current assets	27,537	21,875
Total current assets	192,181	173,215
Property and equipment, net	166,612	144,558
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates	11,274	10,522
Total assets	2,044,586	1,573,018
Liabilities and Equity
Current portion of long-term debt	17,407	10,800
Accounts payable		21,542
Total current liabilities	84,413	63,654
Long-term debt	620,705	447,963
Deferred income taxes	137,648	114,167
Other long-term liabilities	25,972	28,131
Noncontrolling interests - redeemable	175,382	170,636
Equity:
Total AmSurg Corp. equity	689,488	616,245
Noncontrolling interests - non-redeemable	310,978	132,222
Total equity	1,000,466	748,467
Total liabilities and equity	2,044,586	1,573,018
Parent Company [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	7,259	8,530	4,683	1,588
Accounts receivable, Net	0	0
Supplies inventory	0	0
Deferred income taxes	3,088	2,129
Prepaid and other current assets	19,342	13,339
Total current assets	29,689	23,998
Property and equipment, net	9,199	8,574
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates	1,413,061	1,145,683
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	21,311	13,989
Total assets	1,473,260	1,192,244
Liabilities and Equity
Current portion of long-term debt	5,357	0
Accounts payable	1,379	2,347
Other accrued liabilities	29,380	19,485
Total current liabilities	36,116	21,832
Long-term debt	599,423	426,000
Deferred income taxes	137,648	114,167
Other long-term liabilities	10,585	14,000
Noncontrolling interests - redeemable	0	0
Equity:
Total AmSurg Corp. equity	689,488	616,245
Noncontrolling interests - non-redeemable	0	0
Total equity	689,488	616,245
Total liabilities and equity	1,473,260	1,192,244
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, Net	0	0
Supplies inventory	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	0	0
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates	1,381,596	1,113,430
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	0	0
Total assets	1,381,596	1,113,430
Liabilities and Equity
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable	0	0
Other accrued liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Noncontrolling interests - redeemable	0	0
Equity:
Total AmSurg Corp. equity	1,381,596	1,113,430
Noncontrolling interests - non-redeemable	0	0
Total equity	1,381,596	1,113,430
Total liabilities and equity	1,381,596	1,113,430
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	39,139	32,188	29,464	27,789
Accounts receivable, Net	96,752	93,454
Supplies inventory	18,406	15,039
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	13,160	11,286
Total current assets	167,457	151,967
Property and equipment, net	157,413	135,984
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates	0	0
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	1,206	1,436
Total assets	326,076	289,387
Liabilities and Equity
Current portion of long-term debt	12,050	10,800
Accounts payable	26,035	21,489
Other accrued liabilities	15,177	12,283
Total current liabilities	53,262	44,572
Long-term debt	52,747	50,762
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	15,387	14,131
Noncontrolling interests - redeemable	61,939	64,150
Equity:
Total AmSurg Corp. equity	108,412	95,081
Noncontrolling interests - non-redeemable	34,329	20,691
Total equity	142,741	115,772
Total liabilities and equity	326,076	289,387
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, Net	0	0
Supplies inventory	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	(4,965)	(2,750)
Total current assets	(4,965)	(2,750)
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates	(2,783,383)	(2,248,591)
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	1,652,002	1,229,298
Total assets	(1,136,346)	(1,022,043)
Liabilities and Equity
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable	(3,905)	(2,294)
Other accrued liabilities	(1,060)	(456)
Total current liabilities	(4,965)	(2,750)
Long-term debt	(31,465)	(28,799)
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Noncontrolling interests - redeemable	113,443	106,486
Equity:
Total AmSurg Corp. equity	(1,490,008)	(1,208,511)
Noncontrolling interests - non-redeemable	276,649	111,531
Total equity	(1,213,359)	(1,096,980)
Total liabilities and equity	(1,136,346)	(1,022,043)
Consolidated Entities [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents				29,377
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	1,674,519	1,244,723
Liabilities and Equity
Accounts payable	23,509
Other accrued liabilities	$ 43,497	$ 31,312