Guarantor (Income Statements) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 268,233	$ 224,916	$ 797,186	$ 683,643
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	84,918	72,301	248,058	214,858
Supply cost	38,357	31,400	115,408	96,397
Other operating expenses	56,391	46,968	163,911	142,301
Depreciation and amortization	8,398	7,590	24,651	22,345
Total operating expenses	188,064	158,259	552,028	475,901
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	0	0	2,237	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	1,095	392	2,193	1,103
Operating income	81,264	67,049	249,588	208,845
Interest expense	7,295	3,536	22,352	11,961
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	73,969	63,513	227,236	196,884
Income tax expense	11,424	10,132	36,562	32,110
Net earnings from continuing operations	62,545	53,381	190,674	164,774
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	(278)	384	(298)	(525)
Net earnings (loss)	62,267	53,765	190,376	164,249
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations	45,496	38,093	137,244	117,867
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations	0	235	(13)	633
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	45,496	38,328	137,231	118,500
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	16,771	15,437	53,145	45,749
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	17,049	15,288	53,430	46,907
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	(278)	149	(285)	(1,158)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	16,771	15,437	53,145	45,749
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	(4,281)	(3,714)	(12,872)	(11,000)
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	(118)	(86)	(348)	(259)
Supply cost	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	(4,163)	(3,628)	(12,524)	(10,741)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	(4,281)	(3,714)	(12,872)	(11,000)
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	0	0	(2,237)	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(100,843)	(84,286)	(305,507)	(260,733)
Operating income	(100,843)	(84,286)	(307,744)	(260,733)
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	(100,843)	(84,286)	(307,744)	(260,733)
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net earnings from continuing operations	(100,843)	(84,286)	(307,744)	(260,733)
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	(100,843)	(84,286)	(307,744)	(260,733)
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	(100,843)	(84,286)	(307,744)	(260,733)
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	(100,843)	(84,286)	(307,744)	(260,733)
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	(100,843)	(84,286)	(307,744)	(260,733)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	6,273	5,171	17,449	14,816
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	16,088	14,140	45,940	40,739
Supply cost	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	5,537	4,335	15,768	14,194
Depreciation and amortization	847	734	2,379	2,079
Total operating expenses	22,472	19,209	64,087	57,012
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	0	0	2,237	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	50,969	42,339	153,850	130,918
Operating income	34,770	28,301	109,449	88,722
Interest expense	6,711	3,089	20,661	10,371
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	28,059	25,212	88,788	78,351
Income tax expense	11,010	9,687	35,371	30,820
Net earnings from continuing operations	17,049	15,525	53,417	47,531
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	(278)	(88)	(272)	(1,782)
Net earnings (loss)	16,771	15,437	53,145	45,749
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	16,771	15,437	53,145	45,749
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	17,049	15,525	53,417	47,531
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	(278)	(88)	(272)	(1,782)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	16,771	15,437	53,145	45,749
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	50,969	42,339	153,850	130,918
Operating income	50,969	42,339	156,087	130,918
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	50,969	42,339	156,087	130,918
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net earnings from continuing operations	50,969	42,339	156,087	130,918
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	50,969	42,339	156,087	130,918
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	50,969	42,339	156,087	130,918
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	50,969	42,339	156,087	130,918
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	50,969	42,339	156,087	130,918
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	266,241	223,459	792,609	679,827
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	68,948	58,247	202,466	174,378
Supply cost	38,357	31,400	115,408	96,397
Other operating expenses	55,017	46,261	160,667	138,848
Depreciation and amortization	7,551	6,856	22,272	20,266
Total operating expenses	169,873	142,764	500,813	429,889
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0
Operating income	96,368	80,695	291,796	249,938
Interest expense	584	447	1,691	1,590
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	95,784	80,248	290,105	248,348
Income tax expense	414	445	1,191	1,290
Net earnings from continuing operations	95,370	79,803	288,914	247,058
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	472	(26)	1,257
Net earnings (loss)	95,370	80,275	288,888	248,315
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations	45,496	38,093	137,244	117,867
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations	0	235	(13)	633
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	45,496	38,328	137,231	118,500
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	49,874	41,947	151,657	129,815
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	49,874	41,710	151,670	129,191
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	0	237	(13)	624
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	$ 49,874	$ 41,947	$ 151,657	$ 129,815