Options and Awards Compensation Expense (Details) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense	$ 2,612	$ 1,971
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized [Abstract]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	5 years 12 months
Stock Options
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense	$ 1,343	1,216
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized [Abstract]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized	$ 14,429
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	3 years 8 months
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards	1,697
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Expected to Vest, Number	1,593
Restricted Stock Awards
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense	$ 998	578
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized [Abstract]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized	$ 15,747
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	3 years 11 months
Stock awards
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense	$ 271	$ 177

Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards

No definition available.

Name:	ensg_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwards
Namespace Prefix:	ensg_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

As of the balance sheet date, the number of shares which are expected to vest into stock options outstanding can be converted under the option plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ensg_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExpectedToVestNumber
Namespace Prefix:	ensg_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the expense recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5047-113901

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 14.F)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115993241&loc=d3e301413-122809

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationAllocationOfRecognizedPeriodCostsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Unrecognized cost of unvested share-based compensation awards.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted average period over which unrecognized compensation is expected to be recognized for equity-based compensation plans, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedPeriodForRecognition1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted average remaining contractual term for option awards outstanding, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (e)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm2
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=ensg_StockAwardsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: