Guarantor (Income Statements) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 263,107	$ 258,189
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	83,194	80,958
Supply cost	38,720	37,213
Other operating expenses	55,269	52,727
Depreciation and amortization	8,374	8,008
Total operating expenses	185,557	178,906
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	2,045	2,237
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	764	402
Operating income	80,359	81,922
Interest expense	6,963	7,542
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	73,396	74,380
Income tax expense	13,057	12,269
Net earnings from continuing operations	60,339	62,111
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	(225)	162
Net earnings (loss)	60,114	62,273
Less net earnings and comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations	42,835	44,361
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	84	101
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	42,919	44,462
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	17,195	17,811
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	17,504	17,750
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	(309)	61
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	17,195	17,811
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	(4,609)	(4,238)
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	(121)	(113)
Supply cost	0	0
Other operating expenses	(4,488)	(4,125)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
Total operating expenses	(4,609)	(4,238)
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	(2,045)	(2,237)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(95,340)	(99,508)
Operating income	(97,385)	(101,745)
Interest expense	0	0
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	(97,385)	(101,745)
Income tax expense	0	0
Net earnings from continuing operations	(97,385)	(101,745)
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	(97,385)	(101,745)
Less net earnings and comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations	0	0
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	(97,385)	(101,745)
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	(97,385)	(101,745)
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	(97,385)	(101,745)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	6,127	5,716
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	14,485	15,421
Supply cost	0	0
Other operating expenses	4,166	5,060
Depreciation and amortization	825	772
Total operating expenses	19,476	21,253
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	2,045	2,237
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	48,052	49,955
Operating income	36,748	36,655
Interest expense	6,452	6,923
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	30,296	29,732
Income tax expense	12,704	11,877
Net earnings from continuing operations	17,592	17,855
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	(397)	(44)
Net earnings (loss)	17,195	17,811
Less net earnings and comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations	0	0
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	17,195	17,811
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	17,592	17,855
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	(397)	(44)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	17,195	17,811
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	2,045	2,237
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	48,052	49,955
Operating income	50,097	52,192
Interest expense	0	0
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	50,097	52,192
Income tax expense	0	0
Net earnings from continuing operations	50,097	52,192
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	50,097	52,192
Less net earnings and comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations	0	0
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	50,097	52,192
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	50,097	52,192
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	50,097	52,192
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	261,589	256,711
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	68,830	65,650
Supply cost	38,720	37,213
Other operating expenses	55,591	51,792
Depreciation and amortization	7,549	7,236
Total operating expenses	170,690	161,891
Gain (loss) on deconsolidation	0	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	0	0
Operating income	90,899	94,820
Interest expense	511	619
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	90,388	94,201
Income tax expense	353	392
Net earnings from continuing operations	90,035	93,809
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	172	206
Net earnings (loss)	90,207	94,015
Less net earnings and comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net earnings from continuing operations	42,835	44,361
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	84	101
Total net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	42,919	44,462
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	47,288	49,553
Amounts attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax	47,200	49,448
Discontinued operations, net of income tax, attributable to AmSurg Corp.	88	105
Net earnings (loss) attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	$ 47,288	$ 49,553