CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) shares in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Statement [Abstract]
Service revenues	$ 4,326,419,000	$ 4,165,822,000	$ 3,808,340,000
Reimbursed expenses	1,411,200,000	1,294,176,000	1,291,205,000
Total revenues	5,737,619,000	5,459,998,000	5,099,545,000
Costs of revenue, service costs	2,725,586,000	2,684,106,000	2,471,426,000
Costs of revenue, reimbursed expenses	1,411,200,000	1,294,176,000	1,291,205,000
Selling, general and administrative	920,985,000	882,338,000	860,510,000
Restructuring costs	30,752,000	8,988,000	14,071,000
Impairment charges	2,484,000	0	0
Income from operations	646,612,000	590,390,000	462,333,000
Interest income	(4,317,000)	(3,410,000)	(3,937,000)
Interest expense	101,792,000	100,589,000	123,508,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt	7,780,000		19,831,000
Other expense (income), net	2,362,000	(8,978,000)	(185,000)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated affiliates	538,995,000	502,189,000	323,116,000
Income tax expense	158,989,000	150,056,000	95,965,000
Income before equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated affiliates	380,006,000	352,133,000	227,151,000
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated affiliates	8,298,000	4,368,000	(1,124,000)
Net income	388,304,000	356,501,000	226,027,000
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,099,000)	(118,000)	564,000
Net income attributable to Quintiles Transnational Holdings Inc.	$ 387,205,000	$ 356,383,000	$ 226,591,000
Earnings per share attributable to common shareholders:
Basic	$ 3.15	$ 2.78	$ 1.83
Diluted	$ 3.08	$ 2.72	$ 1.77
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic	123,038	127,994	124,147
Diluted	125,630	131,083	127,862