Acquisitions and Divestitures (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended												1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011 Mercy health partners [Member]	May 01, 2011 Mercy health partners [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Youngstown Ohio [Member]	Oct. 01, 2010 Youngstown Ohio [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Bluefield Regional Medical Center [Member]	Oct. 01, 2010 Bluefield Regional Medical Center [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Marion Regional Healthcare System [Member]	Jul. 07, 2010 Marion Regional Healthcare System [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Physician practices, clinics and other ancillary businesses [Member]	Jan. 31, 2011 Oregon Healthcare Resources LLC [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Oregon Healthcare Resources LLC [Member]
Net operating revenues and income from discontinued operations
Net operating revenues	$ 68,479,000	$ 90,378,000	$ 140,563,000	$ 182,448,000
Income (loss) from operations of entities sold or held for sale before income taxes	392,000	(3,232,000)	(2,280,000)	(1,994,000)
Impairment of hospitals held for sale	38,600,000		51,695,000
Loss on sale			(5,061,000)
Loss from discontinued operations, before taxes	(38,208,000)	(3,232,000)	(59,036,000)	(1,994,000)
Income taxes expense (benefit)	1,119,000	(1,195,000)	(6,429,000)	(596,000)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of taxes	(39,327,000)	(2,037,000)	(52,607,000)	(1,398,000)
Acquisitions and Divestitures (Textuals) [Abstract]
Cash paid for fixed assets							150,500,000		93,400,000		35,400,000		18,600,000
Purchase price allocation to property and equipment														14,700,000
Purchase price for physician practices, clinics, and other ancillary businesses														55,100,000
Cash paid for working capital							(2,100,000)		27,800,000		(1,800,000)		5,800,000
Purchase price allocation to net working capital														3,400,000
Assumed liabilities in business combination							12,300,000		40,300,000		8,900,000		3,900,000
Total Consideration							160,700,000		161,500,000		42,500,000		28,300,000
Purchase price allocation to Goodwill						42,100,000		8,100,000		2,400,000		0		35,500,000
Purchase price to other intangible assets														1,500,000
Acquisition costs related to prospective and closed acquisitions expensed	5,300,000	1,200,000	8,700,000	1,800,000
Carrying amount of net assets including allocation of reporting unit goodwill															19.7
Cash consideration			18,464,000													14,600,000
Long-lived assets of hospitals held for sale	$ 122,600,000		$ 122,600,000		$ 182,700,000