Financial Information for the Company and Its Subsidiaries (Income Statements) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	$ 822,216			$ 650,227			$ 2,305,393	$ 1,862,622
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	461,281			327,532			1,275,131	950,107
Supply cost	47,952			45,638			144,618	134,012
Other operating expenses	114,928			98,852			333,755	294,424
Transaction costs	16,906			2,107			23,431	5,560
Depreciation and amortization	31,585			24,106			90,711	70,536
Total operating expenses	672,652			498,235			1,867,646	1,454,639
Net gain on disposals and deconsolidations	4,144			9,112			6,739	5,854
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	4,445			4,935			18,375	11,575
Operating income	158,153			166,039			462,861	425,412
Interest expense (income), net	32,915			30,242			95,638	90,671
Earnings before income taxes	125,238			135,797			367,223	334,741
Income tax expense	29,658			37,518			83,820	76,960
Net earnings	95,580			98,279			283,403	257,781
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	55,626			55,618			166,517	160,407
Net earnings attributable to AmSurg Corp. shareholders	39,954			42,661			116,886	97,374
Preferred stock dividends	(2,264)	$ (2,300)	$ (2,300)	(2,264)	$ (2,300)	$ (2,300)	(6,792)	(6,792)
Net earnings attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	37,690			40,397			110,094	90,582
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	(16,600)			(9,614)			(37,198)	(27,956)
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	(904)			(128)			(1,172)	(380)
Supply cost	(19)			(20)			(52)	(54)
Other operating expenses	(15,677)			(9,466)			(35,974)	(27,522)
Transaction costs	0			0			0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0			0			0	0
Total operating expenses	(16,600)			(9,614)			(37,198)	(27,956)
Net gain on disposals and deconsolidations	0			0			0	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(142,296)			(155,720)			(419,483)	(405,306)
Operating income	(142,296)			(155,720)			(419,483)	(405,306)
Interest expense (income), net	0			0			0	0
Earnings before income taxes	(142,296)			(155,720)			(419,483)	(405,306)
Income tax expense	0			0			0	0
Net earnings	(142,296)			(155,720)			(419,483)	(405,306)
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0			0			0	0
Net earnings attributable to AmSurg Corp. shareholders	(142,296)			(155,720)			(419,483)	(405,306)
Preferred stock dividends	0			0			0	0
Net earnings attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	(142,296)			(155,720)			(419,483)	(405,306)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	8,671			5,975			24,915	20,145
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	20,106			17,642			66,447	50,796
Supply cost	0			0			0	0
Other operating expenses	6,367			7,054			20,019	19,471
Transaction costs	8,036			270			10,312	862
Depreciation and amortization	1,134			1,017			3,309	2,907
Total operating expenses	35,643			25,983			100,087	74,036
Net gain on disposals and deconsolidations	0			0			0	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	79,314			96,232			236,056	233,362
Operating income	52,342			76,224			160,884	179,471
Interest expense (income), net	(6,948)			11,766			(13,982)	35,630
Earnings before income taxes	59,290			64,458			174,866	143,841
Income tax expense	19,336			21,797			57,980	46,467
Net earnings	39,954			42,661			116,886	97,374
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0			0			0	0
Net earnings attributable to AmSurg Corp. shareholders	39,954			42,661			116,886	97,374
Preferred stock dividends	(2,264)			(2,264)			(6,792)	(6,792)
Net earnings attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	37,690			40,397			110,094	90,582
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	471,190			339,484			1,324,062	954,642
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	333,420			231,769			948,173	671,988
Supply cost	1,119			476			3,271	1,361
Other operating expenses	48,186			34,742			135,738	106,452
Transaction costs	8,870			1,837			13,119	4,698
Depreciation and amortization	22,444			14,906			63,972	43,830
Total operating expenses	414,039			283,730			1,164,273	828,329
Net gain on disposals and deconsolidations	3,598			9,112			6,455	5,889
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	67,427			64,423			201,802	183,519
Operating income	128,176			129,289			368,046	315,721
Interest expense (income), net	39,069			17,845			107,573	53,223
Earnings before income taxes	89,107			111,444			260,473	262,498
Income tax expense	9,802			15,210			24,434	29,134
Net earnings	79,305			96,234			236,039	233,364
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(8)			0			(15)	0
Net earnings attributable to AmSurg Corp. shareholders	79,313			96,234			236,054	233,364
Preferred stock dividends	0			0			0	0
Net earnings attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	79,313			96,234			236,054	233,364
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	358,955			314,382			993,614	915,791
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	108,659			78,249			261,683	227,703
Supply cost	46,852			45,182			141,399	132,705
Other operating expenses	76,052			66,522			213,972	196,023
Transaction costs	0			0			0	0
Depreciation and amortization	8,007			8,183			23,430	23,799
Total operating expenses	239,570			198,136			640,484	580,230
Net gain on disposals and deconsolidations	546			0			284	(35)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	0			0			0	0
Operating income	119,931			116,246			353,414	335,526
Interest expense (income), net	794			631			2,047	1,818
Earnings before income taxes	119,137			115,615			351,367	333,708
Income tax expense	520			511			1,406	1,359
Net earnings	118,617			115,104			349,961	332,349
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	55,634			55,618			166,532	160,407
Net earnings attributable to AmSurg Corp. shareholders	62,983			59,486			183,429	171,942
Preferred stock dividends	0			0			0	0
Net earnings attributable to AmSurg Corp. common shareholders	$ 62,983			$ 59,486			$ 183,429	$ 171,942