Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended						3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011 Month Year Hospital	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011 Hospital Operations Reporting Unit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Home Care Agency Operations Reporting Unit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Hospital Management Services Reporting Unit [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Computer Software, Intangible Asset [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Computer Software, Intangible Asset [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Computer Software, Intangible Asset [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Computer Software, Intangible Asset [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Other Intangible Assets [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Other Intangible Assets [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Other Intangible Assets [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Other Intangible Assets [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Significant system conversions [Member] Year	Sep. 30, 2011 All other capitalized internal-use software [Member] Year
Carrying amount of goodwill
Beginning Balance	$ 4,150,247,000		$ 4,200,000,000	$ 40,500,000	$ 33,300,000	$ 4,199,905,000
Goodwill allocated to disposal and hospital held for sale	(49,658,000)
Goodwill acquired as part of acquisitions during 2011	83,287,000
Consideration adjustments and purchase price allocation adjustments for prior years acquisitions	(621,000)
Ending Balance	4,232,913,000		4,200,000,000	40,500,000	33,300,000	4,199,905,000
Goodwill	4,232,913,000		4,200,000,000	40,500,000	33,300,000	4,199,905,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Expected residual value							0		0		0		0
Amortization expense							17,800,000	12,500,000	52,400,000	32,700,000	2,000,000	3,100,000	6,200,000	9,400,000
Amortization expense for remaining 2011									18,900,000				2,000,000
Amortization expense for 2012									75,600,000				7,200,000
Amortization expense for 2013									55,600,000				4,600,000
Amortization expense for 2014									24,400,000				2,900,000
Amortization expense for 2015									16,500,000				2,500,000
Amortization expense for 2016									13,200,000				2,300,000
Amortization expense for 2017 and thereafter									14,300,000				10,900,000
Estimated amortization period															8	3
Goodwill and Other Intangibles Assets (Textual) [Abstract]
Gross, intangible asset subject to amortization	61,700,000	60,500,000
Net, intangible asset subject to amortization	32,400,000	36,100,000
Net, intangible asset not subject to amortization	44,400,000	44,400,000
Weighted-average amortization	9
Gross carrying amount of capitalized software	410,900,000	356,500,000
Net carrying amount considering accumulated amortization	218,500,000	209,400,000
Capitalized costs for internal-use software in development stage	$ 88,800,000