Guarantor (Income Statements) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 260,061	$ 228,899
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	81,581	72,115
Supply cost	37,644	32,097
Other operating expenses	53,261	47,132
Depreciation and amortization	8,082	7,341
Total operating expenses	180,568	158,685
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	2,237	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	402	395
Operating income	82,132	70,609
Interest expense	7,544	4,267
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	74,588	66,342
Income tax expense	12,315	10,816
Net earnings from continuing operations	62,273	55,526
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	(587)
Net earnings (loss)	62,273	54,939
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations	44,462	39,972
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations	0	191
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	44,462	40,163
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	17,811	14,776
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	17,811	15,554
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	0	(778)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	17,811	14,776
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	5,380	5,145
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	15,421	14,154
Supply cost	0	0
Other operating expenses	5,060	4,741
Depreciation and amortization	772	657
Total operating expenses	21,253	19,552
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	2,237
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	50,291	44,243
Operating income	36,655	29,836
Interest expense	6,923	3,709
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	29,732	26,127
Income tax expense	11,921	10,396
Net earnings from continuing operations	17,811	15,731
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	(955)
Net earnings (loss)	17,811	14,776
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations	0	0
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations	0	0
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	17,811	14,776
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	17,811	15,731
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	0	(955)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	17,811	14,776
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	0	0
Supply cost	0	0
Other operating expenses	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
Total operating expenses	0	0
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	2,237
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	50,291	44,243
Operating income	52,528	44,243
Interest expense	0	0
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	52,528	44,243
Income tax expense	0	0
Net earnings from continuing operations	52,528	44,243
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	52,528	44,243
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations	0	0
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations	0	0
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	52,528	44,243
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	52,528	44,243
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	52,528	44,243
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	258,919	227,232
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	66,273	58,048
Supply cost	37,644	32,097
Other operating expenses	52,326	45,782
Depreciation and amortization	7,310	6,684
Total operating expenses	163,553	142,611
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	0	0
Operating income	95,366	84,621
Interest expense	621	558
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	94,745	84,063
Income tax expense	394	420
Net earnings from continuing operations	94,351	83,643
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	368
Net earnings (loss)	94,351	84,011
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations	44,462	39,972
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations	0	191
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	44,462	40,163
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	49,889	43,848
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	49,889	43,671
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	0	177
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	49,889	43,848
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	(4,238)	(3,478)
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	(113)	(87)
Supply cost	0	0
Other operating expenses	(4,125)	(3,391)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
Total operating expenses	(4,238)	(3,478)
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	(2,237)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(100,180)	(88,091)
Operating income	(102,417)	(88,091)
Interest expense	0	0
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	(102,417)	(88,091)
Income tax expense	0	0
Net earnings from continuing operations	(102,417)	(88,091)
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	(102,417)	(88,091)
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations	0	0
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations	0	0
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	(102,417)	(88,091)
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	(102,417)	(88,091)
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	$ (102,417)	$ (88,091)