BUSINESS SEGMENT INFORMATION (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2024

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table Text Block]

	Year Ended December 31, 2024
Revenues:	Dx		BLS		Intercompany eliminations and other		LHI
Revenues	$	10,144.3	$	2,922.6	$	(58.0)	$	13,008.9
Operating Earnings:
Labor	4,438.7		1,165.3
Supplies	2,209.6		441.9
Shipping costs			365.8
Depreciation	259.0		122.6
Other operating expenses	1,630.7		368.1
Segment operating income	$	1,606.3	$	458.9			$	2,065.2
General corporate and unallocated expenses							(670.8)
Amortization of intangibles and other assets							(256.4)
Restructuring and other charges							(46.0)
Goodwill and other asset impairments							(5.3)
Total Operating income							1,086.7
Other income (expense):
Interest expense							(208.3)
Investment income							22.3
Equity method loss, net							(1.4)
Other, net							60.2
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes							$	959.5

	Year Ended December 31, 2023
Revenues:	Dx		BLS		Intercompany eliminations and other		LHI
Revenues	$	9,415.1	$	2,774.2	$	(27.7)	$	12,161.6
Operating Earnings:
Labor	4,095.7		1,094.0
Supplies	2,066.0		452.2
Shipping costs			333.0
Depreciation	236.1		112.5
Other operating expenses	1,426.0		386.2
Segment operating income	$	1,591.3	$	396.3			$	1,987.6
General corporate and unallocated expenses							(644.1)
Amortization of intangibles and other assets							(219.8)
Restructuring and other charges							(49.1)
Goodwill and other asset impairments							(349.0)
Total Operating income							725.6
Other income (expense):
Interest expense							(199.6)
Investment income							28.8
Equity method loss, net							(1.4)
Other, net							15.5
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes							$	568.9

	Year Ended December 31, 2022
Revenues:	Dx		BLS		Intercompany eliminations and other		LHI
Revenues	$	9,203.5	$	2,697.3	$	(36.9)	$	11,863.9
Operating Earnings:
Labor	3,659.6		1,069.6
Supplies	1,914.7		460.6
Shipping costs			311.3
Depreciation	227.1		112.8
Other operating expenses	1,376.6		353.9
Segment operating income	$	2,025.5	$	389.1			$	2,414.6
General corporate and unallocated expenses							(468.8)
Amortization of intangibles and other assets							(193.6)
Restructuring and other charges							(54.0)
Goodwill and other asset impairments							(261.7)
Total Operating income							1,436.5
Other income (expense):
Interest expense							(179.8)
Investment income							7.5
Equity method income, net							5.4
Other, net							(32.2)
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes							$	1,237.4

Depreciation:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2024		2023		2022
Dx	$	259.0	$	236.1	$	227.1
BLS	122.6		112.5		112.8
General corporate	5.5		8.9		3.7
Total depreciation	$	387.1	$	357.5	$	343.6

Geographic distribution of Property, plant and equipment, net:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2024		2023
North America	$	2,576.1	$	2,418.2
Europe	355.5		394.7
Other	113.8		98.9
Total Property, plant and equipment, net	$	3,045.4	$	2,911.8