Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) £ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 GBP (£)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($) Hospital	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2010 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2010 GBP (£)
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Self-insured for professional and general liability		$ 259,718,000		$ 274,815,000	$ 271,476,000	$ 270,088,000
Self-insured for professional and general liability, current				48,000,000	48,000,000
Compensation liability claims				67,000,000	68,000,000
Compensation and related benefits				33,000,000	34,000,000
Combined estimated future purchase obligations				350,000,000
Defined benefit pension plan estimated payments through 2089				194,000,000
Other retirement plan liabilities				19,000,000
Construction Commitment
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Combined estimated future purchase obligations				43,000,000
Revenue Cycle Data Processing Services
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Combined estimated future purchase obligations				101,000,000
Electronic Health Records And Revenue Cycle Application
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Combined estimated future purchase obligations				247,000,000
Estimated Minimum Liabilities For Physician Commitments
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Combined estimated future purchase obligations				2,000,000
Related to Certain Equipment
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Combined estimated future purchase obligations				213,000,000
Commercial Health Insurer and Self-insured Employee Benefit Plans
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Combined estimated future purchase obligations				90,000,000
Location 1
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Minimum Insurance Deductible				50,000
Location 2
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Minimum Insurance Deductible				250,000
Flood | Location 1
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Maximum insurance deductible				500,000
Professional And General Liability | Psi Subsidiaries
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Reduction in professional and general liability self-insurance reserves relating to prior years		20,000,000
Cygnet Health Care Limited
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Property insurance | £	£ 1,290
Maximum | Wind Storms
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Commercial property insurance policies covering catastrophic losses				$ 1,000,000,000
Percentage of insurance deductible				5.00%
Maximum | Earthquake | LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Commercial property insurance policies covering catastrophic losses				$ 500,000,000
Maximum | Earthquake | CALIFORNIA
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Commercial property insurance policies covering catastrophic losses				130,000,000
Maximum | Earthquake | PUERTO RICO
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Commercial property insurance policies covering catastrophic losses				40,000,000
Maximum | Earthquake | OTHER STATES
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Commercial property insurance policies covering catastrophic losses				250,000,000
Maximum | Earthquake | UNITED STATES
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Commercial property insurance policies covering catastrophic losses				$ 100,000,000
Minimum | Wind Storms
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of insurance deductible				3.00%
Professional Liability | Cygnet Health Care Limited
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Self-insured for professional and general liability | £								£ 10
General Liability | Cygnet Health Care Limited
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Self-insured for professional and general liability | £								£ 25
General and Professional Liability
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Self-insured for professional and general liability		192,904,000		$ 207,459,000	203,973,000	206,290,000
Subsidiaries | Professional Liability | Maximum
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Self-insured for professional and general liability							$ 10,000,000
Subsidiaries | General Liability | Maximum
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Self-insured for professional and general liability							$ 3,000,000
Subsidiaries | General And Professional Liability Insurance Policies
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of liability for claims paid under commercially insured coverage				10.00%
Subsidiaries | General And Professional Liability Insurance Policies | Maximum
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Purchased several excess policies through commercial insurance carriers per occurrence		$ 250,000,000		$ 250,000,000	$ 250,000,000	$ 200,000,000
Liability for claims paid under commercially insured coverage				60,000,000
Subsidiaries | General And Professional Liability Insurance Policies | Minimum
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Liability for claims paid under commercially insured coverage				$ 10,000,000
Department of Human Services
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Repayment of legal settlement amount on demand			$ 4,000,000
Department of Human Services | Pennsylvania
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of behavioral health care hospitals | Hospital			7