Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 12,122	$ 23,471	$ 25,652	$ 41,229
Accounts receivable, net	1,166,514	1,067,197
Supplies	101,249	99,000
Other current assets	90,771	87,936
Deferred income taxes	132,624	104,461
Assets of facilities held for sale	0	25,431
Total current assets	1,503,280	1,407,496
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Intercompany note receivable	0	0
Property and equipment	5,610,076	5,368,345
Less: accumulated depreciation	(2,185,175)	(1,986,110)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	3,424,901	3,382,235
Other assets:
Goodwill	3,039,169	3,036,765
Deferred charges	62,619	75,888
Other	321,774	298,459
Total assets	8,351,743	8,200,843	7,781,066
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	88,292	2,589
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	926,768	889,557
Liabilities of facilities held for sale	0	850
Federal and state taxes	9,257	1,062
Total current liabilities	1,024,317	894,058
Intercompany payable	0	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	320,214	395,355
Long-term debt	3,411,635	3,727,431
Intercompany note payable	0	0
Deferred income taxes	215,026	183,747
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	218,080	234,303
UHS common stockholders' equity	3,110,778	2,713,345
Noncontrolling interest	51,693	52,604
Total equity	3,162,471	2,765,949
Liabilities and Equity, Total	8,351,743	8,200,843
Parent
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	2,935	7,154
Supplies	0	0
Other current assets	2,344	2,188
Deferred income taxes	89,342	61,364
Assets of facilities held for sale		0
Total current assets	94,621	70,706
Investments in subsidiaries	6,232,854	5,781,479
Intercompany receivable	395,486	644,105
Intercompany note receivable	0	0
Property and equipment	0	0
Less: accumulated depreciation	0	0
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0	0
Other assets:
Goodwill	820	820
Deferred charges	54,160	67,831
Other	8,147	9,645
Total assets	6,786,088	6,574,586
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	86,903	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	39,282	10,985
Liabilities of facilities held for sale		0
Federal and state taxes	7,274	0
Total current liabilities	133,459	10,985
Intercompany payable	0	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	15,326	46,048
Long-term debt	3,367,414	3,676,940
Intercompany note payable	0	0
Deferred income taxes	159,111	127,268
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
UHS common stockholders' equity	3,110,778	2,713,345
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	3,110,778	2,713,345
Liabilities and Equity, Total	6,786,088	6,574,586
Guarantors
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	4,364	11,949
Accounts receivable, net	812,583	741,983
Supplies	63,431	61,100
Other current assets	78,183	75,117
Deferred income taxes	43,282	43,555
Assets of facilities held for sale		0
Total current assets	1,001,843	933,704
Investments in subsidiaries	1,422,158	1,323,832
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Intercompany note receivable	0	0
Property and equipment	4,044,182	3,867,471
Less: accumulated depreciation	(1,434,744)	(1,288,975)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	2,609,438	2,578,496
Other assets:
Goodwill	2,541,523	2,554,531
Deferred charges	6,002	5,839
Other	240,659	209,558
Total assets	7,821,623	7,605,960
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	364	990
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	714,033	740,484
Liabilities of facilities held for sale		0
Federal and state taxes	1,983	900
Total current liabilities	716,380	742,374
Intercompany payable	895,713	1,004,643
Other noncurrent liabilities	199,061	243,478
Long-term debt	5,191	5,372
Intercompany note payable	1,007,453	1,007,453
Deferred income taxes	55,915	56,801
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
UHS common stockholders' equity	4,941,910	4,545,839
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	4,941,910	4,545,839
Liabilities and Equity, Total	7,821,623	7,605,960
Non Guarantors
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	7,758	11,522
Accounts receivable, net	350,996	318,060
Supplies	37,818	37,900
Other current assets	10,244	10,631
Deferred income taxes	0	322
Assets of facilities held for sale		25,431
Total current assets	406,816	403,866
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany receivable	500,227	360,538
Intercompany note receivable	1,007,453	1,007,453
Property and equipment	1,565,894	1,500,874
Less: accumulated depreciation	(750,431)	(697,135)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	815,463	803,739
Other assets:
Goodwill	496,826	481,414
Deferred charges	2,457	2,218
Other	72,968	79,256
Total assets	3,302,210	3,138,484
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	1,025	1,599
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	173,453	138,088
Liabilities of facilities held for sale		850
Federal and state taxes	0	620
Total current liabilities	174,478	141,157
Intercompany payable	0	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	105,827	105,829
Long-term debt	39,030	45,119
Intercompany note payable	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	218,080	234,303
UHS common stockholders' equity	2,713,102	2,559,472
Noncontrolling interest	51,693	52,604
Total equity	2,764,795	2,612,076
Liabilities and Equity, Total	3,302,210	3,138,484
Consolidating Adjustments
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Supplies	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	(780)
Assets of facilities held for sale		0
Total current assets	0	(780)
Investments in subsidiaries	(7,655,012)	(7,105,311)
Intercompany receivable	(895,713)	(1,004,643)
Intercompany note receivable	(1,007,453)	(1,007,453)
Property and equipment	0	0
Less: accumulated depreciation	0	0
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0	0
Other assets:
Goodwill	0	0
Deferred charges	0	0
Other	0	0
Total assets	(9,558,178)	(9,118,187)
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0
Liabilities of facilities held for sale		0
Federal and state taxes	0	(458)
Total current liabilities	0	(458)
Intercompany payable	(895,713)	(1,004,643)
Other noncurrent liabilities	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany note payable	(1,007,453)	(1,007,453)
Deferred income taxes	0	(322)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
UHS common stockholders' equity	(7,655,012)	(7,105,311)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	(7,655,012)	(7,105,311)
Liabilities and Equity, Total	$ (9,558,178)	$ (9,118,187)