Acquisitions and Divestitures (Acqusitions Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2012 Memorial Health Systems [Member] item	Mar. 31, 2013 Memorial Health Systems [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Diagnostic Clinic of Longview [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Diagnostic Clinic of Longview [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Metro South Medical Center [Member] item	Mar. 31, 2013 Metro South Medical Center [Member]	Jan. 31, 2012 Moses Taylor Healthcare [Member] item	Mar. 31, 2013 Moses Taylor Healthcare [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Physician Practices Clinics and Other Ancillary Businesses [Member]	Jan. 31, 2012 Moses Taylor Hospital [Member] Moses Taylor Healthcare [Member] item	Jan. 31, 2012 Mid-Valley Hospital [Member] Moses Taylor Healthcare [Member] item
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Effective Date of Acquisition			Jul. 01, 2012		Mar. 05, 2012		Mar. 01, 2012		Jan. 01, 2012
Business Acquisition, Number of Licensed Hospital or Facility Beds			100				330					217	25
Business Acquisition, Maximum Number of Years for Completion of Replacement Hospital Construction			5 years
Other Commitment			$ 75,000,000
Business Acquisition, Number of Hospitals Acquired									2
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Cash Paid for Fixed Assets			45,000,000				39,300,000		151,100,000
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Cash Paid for Working Capital			2,600,000				(900,000)		13,100,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Liabilities Assumed			12,500,000		6,900,000		5,800,000		9,400,000
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Purchase Price			60,100,000		59,200,000		44,200,000		173,600,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Goodwill				10,300,000		41,800,000		0.0		54,600,000	500,000
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Cash Paid					52,300,000						1,400,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Property, Plant and Equipment											500,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation Net Working Capital											400,000
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs	$ 600,000	$ 4,300,000