Guarantor (Income Statements) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 244,160	$ 225,124	$ 230,326	$ 228,899	$ 221,148	$ 193,616	$ 186,292	$ 176,531	$ 928,509	$ 777,587	$ 692,571
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits									291,713	240,386	209,062
Supply cost									132,044	102,356	89,863
Other operating expenses									194,293	169,730	145,800
Depreciation and amortization									30,078	25,872	24,665
Total operating expenses									648,128	538,344	469,390
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates									1,564	613	0
Operating income									281,945	239,856	223,181
Interest expense									16,972	15,330	13,476
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	68,103	63,504	67,024	66,342	61,235	55,574	55,814	51,903	264,973	224,526	209,705
Income tax expense									42,627	35,254	32,991
Net earnings from continuing operations	57,584	53,374	55,862	55,526	51,253	47,249	47,026	43,744	222,346	189,272	176,714
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	1,810	391	(317)	(587)	239	368	(649)	884	1,297	842	3,782
Net earnings (loss)	59,394	53,765	55,545	54,939	51,492	47,617	46,377	44,628	223,643	190,114	180,496
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations									159,761	138,878	126,716
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations									1,319	1,239	3,955
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									161,080	140,117	130,671
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	16,814	15,437	15,536	14,776	13,548	13,126	11,630	11,693	62,563	49,997	49,825
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	15,690	15,281	16,060	15,554	13,552	12,847	12,535	11,460	62,585	50,394	49,998
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	1,124	156	(524)	(778)	(4)	279	(905)	233	(22)	(397)	(173)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	16,814	15,437	15,536	14,776	13,548	13,126	11,630	11,693	62,563	49,997	49,825
Other comprehensive income, net of income tax:
Unrealized gain on interest rate swap, net of income tax									0	515	1,334
Comprehensive income, net of income tax									223,643	190,629	181,830
Less comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests									161,080	140,117	130,671
Comprehensive income attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders									62,563	50,512	51,159
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues									19,907	11,253	6,267
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits									54,895	42,739	34,872
Supply cost									0	0	0
Other operating expenses									20,499	19,468	13,502
Depreciation and amortization									2,860	2,487	2,108
Total operating expenses									78,254	64,694	50,482
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates									178,137	152,409	141,456
Operating income									119,790	98,968	97,241
Interest expense									14,803	13,195	11,269
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes									104,987	85,773	85,972
Income tax expense									41,059	34,072	31,783
Net earnings from continuing operations									63,928	51,701	54,189
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations									(1,365)	(1,704)	(4,364)
Net earnings (loss)									62,563	49,997	49,825
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations									0	0	0
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations									0	0	0
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders									62,563	49,997	49,825
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax									63,928	51,701	54,189
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.									(1,365)	(1,704)	(4,364)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders									62,563	49,997	49,825
Other comprehensive income, net of income tax:
Unrealized gain on interest rate swap, net of income tax										515	1,334
Comprehensive income, net of income tax									62,563	50,512	51,159
Less comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders									62,563	50,512	51,159
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues									0	0	0
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits									0	0	0
Supply cost									0	0	0
Other operating expenses									0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization									0	0	0
Total operating expenses									0	0	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates									178,137	152,409	141,456
Operating income									178,137	152,409	141,456
Interest expense									0	0	0
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes									178,137	152,409	141,456
Income tax expense									0	0	0
Net earnings from continuing operations									178,137	152,409	141,456
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations									0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)									178,137	152,409	141,456
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations									0	0	0
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations									0	0	0
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders									178,137	152,409	141,456
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax									178,137	152,409	141,456
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.									0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders									178,137	152,409	141,456
Other comprehensive income, net of income tax:
Unrealized gain on interest rate swap, net of income tax										0	0
Comprehensive income, net of income tax									178,137	152,409	141,456
Less comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders									178,137	152,409	141,456
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues									923,503	774,335	690,492
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits									237,268	198,006	174,527
Supply cost									132,044	102,356	89,863
Other operating expenses									188,245	157,904	136,149
Depreciation and amortization									27,218	23,385	22,557
Total operating expenses									584,775	481,651	423,096
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates									0	0	0
Operating income									338,728	292,684	267,396
Interest expense									2,169	2,135	2,207
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes									336,559	290,549	265,189
Income tax expense									1,568	1,182	1,208
Net earnings from continuing operations									334,991	289,367	263,981
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations									2,662	2,546	8,146
Net earnings (loss)									337,653	291,913	272,127
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations									159,761	138,878	126,716
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations									1,319	1,239	3,955
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									161,080	140,117	130,671
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders									176,573	151,796	141,456
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax									175,230	150,489	137,265
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.									1,343	1,307	4,191
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders									176,573	151,796	141,456
Other comprehensive income, net of income tax:
Unrealized gain on interest rate swap, net of income tax										0	0
Comprehensive income, net of income tax									337,653	291,913	272,127
Less comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests									161,080	140,117	130,671
Comprehensive income attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders									176,573	151,796	141,456
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues									(14,901)	(8,001)	(4,188)
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits									(450)	(359)	(337)
Supply cost									0	0	0
Other operating expenses									(14,451)	(7,642)	(3,851)
Depreciation and amortization									0	0	0
Total operating expenses									(14,901)	(8,001)	(4,188)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates									(354,710)	(304,205)	(282,912)
Operating income									(354,710)	(304,205)	(282,912)
Interest expense									0	0	0
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes									(354,710)	(304,205)	(282,912)
Income tax expense									0	0	0
Net earnings from continuing operations									(354,710)	(304,205)	(282,912)
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations									0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)									(354,710)	(304,205)	(282,912)
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations									0	0	0
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations									0	0	0
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders									(354,710)	(304,205)	(282,912)
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax									(354,710)	(304,205)	(282,912)
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.									0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders									(354,710)	(304,205)	(282,912)
Other comprehensive income, net of income tax:
Unrealized gain on interest rate swap, net of income tax										0	0
Comprehensive income, net of income tax									(354,710)	(304,205)	(282,912)
Less comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders									$ (354,710)	$ (304,205)	$ (282,912)