Guarantor (Income Statements) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 269,342	$ 230,326	$ 529,403	$ 459,225
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	81,719	70,604	163,300	142,719
Supply cost	39,516	33,029	77,160	65,126
Other operating expenses	54,450	48,398	107,711	95,530
Depreciation and amortization	8,187	7,429	16,269	14,770
Total operating expenses	183,872	159,460	364,440	318,145
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	0	0	2,237	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	696	316	1,098	711
Operating income	86,166	71,182	168,298	141,791
Interest expense	7,513	4,158	15,057	8,425
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	78,653	67,024	153,241	133,366
Income tax expense	12,817	11,162	25,132	21,978
Net earnings from continuing operations	65,836	55,862	128,109	111,388
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	(317)	0	(904)
Net earnings (loss)	65,836	55,545	128,109	110,484
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations	47,273	39,802	91,735	79,774
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations	0	207	0	398
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	47,273	40,009	91,735	80,172
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	18,563	15,536	36,374	30,312
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	18,563	16,060	36,374	31,614
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	0	(524)	0	(1,302)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	18,563	15,536	36,374	30,312
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	5,796	4,500	11,176	9,645
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	14,431	12,445	29,852	26,599
Supply cost	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	5,171	5,118	10,231	9,859
Depreciation and amortization	760	688	1,532	1,345
Total operating expenses	20,362	18,251	41,615	37,803
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	0	0	2,237	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	52,590	44,336	102,881	88,579
Operating income	38,024	30,585	74,679	60,421
Interest expense	7,026	3,573	13,949	7,282
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	30,998	27,012	60,730	53,139
Income tax expense	12,435	10,737	24,356	21,133
Net earnings from continuing operations	18,563	16,275	36,374	32,006
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	(739)	0	(1,694)
Net earnings (loss)	18,563	15,536	36,374	30,312
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	18,563	15,536	36,374	30,312
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	18,563	16,275	36,374	32,006
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	0	(739)	0	(1,694)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	18,563	15,536	36,374	30,312
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	0	0	0	0
Supply cost	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	0	0	0	0
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	0	0	2,237	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	52,590	44,336	102,881	88,579
Operating income	52,590	44,336	105,118	88,579
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	52,590	44,336	105,118	88,579
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net earnings from continuing operations	52,590	44,336	105,118	88,579
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	52,590	44,336	105,118	88,579
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	52,590	44,336	105,118	88,579
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	52,590	44,336	105,118	88,579
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	52,590	44,336	105,118	88,579
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	267,899	229,635	526,818	456,867
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	67,405	58,245	133,678	116,293
Supply cost	39,516	33,029	77,160	65,126
Other operating expenses	53,515	47,003	105,841	92,785
Depreciation and amortization	7,427	6,741	14,737	13,425
Total operating expenses	167,863	145,018	331,416	287,629
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0
Operating income	100,036	84,617	195,402	169,238
Interest expense	487	585	1,108	1,143
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	99,549	84,032	194,294	168,095
Income tax expense	382	425	776	845
Net earnings from continuing operations	99,167	83,607	193,518	167,250
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	422	0	790
Net earnings (loss)	99,167	84,029	193,518	168,040
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations	47,273	39,802	91,735	79,774
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations	0	207	0	398
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	47,273	40,009	91,735	80,172
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	51,894	44,020	101,783	87,868
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	51,894	43,805	101,783	87,476
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	0	215	0	392
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	51,894	44,020	101,783	87,868
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	(4,353)	(3,809)	(8,591)	(7,287)
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	(117)	(86)	(230)	(173)
Supply cost	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	(4,236)	(3,723)	(8,361)	(7,114)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	(4,353)	(3,809)	(8,591)	(7,287)
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	0	0	(2,237)	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(104,484)	(88,356)	(204,664)	(176,447)
Operating income	(104,484)	(88,356)	(206,901)	(176,447)
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	(104,484)	(88,356)	(206,901)	(176,447)
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net earnings from continuing operations	(104,484)	(88,356)	(206,901)	(176,447)
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	(104,484)	(88,356)	(206,901)	(176,447)
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	(104,484)	(88,356)	(206,901)	(176,447)
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	(104,484)	(88,356)	(206,901)	(176,447)
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	$ (104,484)	$ (88,356)	$ (206,901)	$ (176,447)