Acquisitions And Divestitures (Schedule Of Aggregate Net Purchase Price Of The Facilities That Were Allocated To Assets And Liabilities) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010 Psychiatric Solutions, Inc. [Member]	Nov. 15, 2010 Psychiatric Solutions, Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Behavioral Health Care Facilities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Knapp Medical Center [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Working capital, net			$ 60,000		$ 1,000
Assets held for sale			67,000
Property, plant & equipment			932,000		11,000	35,000
Goodwill			1,921,000
Other assets/deposits						11,000
Other assets			132,000
Income tax assets, net of deferred tax liabilities			(14,000)
Debt			(1,082,000)	(1,080,000)		(17,000)
Liabilities held for sale	(2,329)	(3,516)	(1,000)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	(218,000)	(212,000)	(5,000)
Other liabilities			(52,000)
Cash paid for acquisitions and deposits			$ 1,958,000	$ 1,960,000	$ 12,000	$ 29,000