Consolidating Financial Statements - Operations (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Revenue
Medical Equipment Solutions	$ 299,156,000	$ 303,664,000	$ 285,059,000
Clinical Engineering Solutions	140,929,000	107,751,000	99,188,000
Surgical services	74,698,000	68,086,000	64,434,000
Total revenues	514,783,000	479,501,000	448,681,000
Cost of Revenue
Cost of Medical Equipment Solutions	133,042,000	138,205,000	123,664,000
Cost of Clinical Engineering Solutions	110,383,000	85,722,000	78,988,000
Cost of surgical services	39,753,000	36,565,000	34,459,000
Medical equipment depreciation	59,850,000	62,157,000	66,778,000
Total costs of revenues	343,028,000	322,649,000	303,889,000
Gross margin	171,755,000	156,852,000	144,792,000
Selling, general and administrative	126,670,000	120,111,000	122,454,000
Restructuring			2,321,000
(Gain) on settlement	0	(3,074,000)	(5,718,000)
Operating income	45,085,000	39,815,000	25,735,000
Interest expense	53,002,000	52,321,000	53,195,000
Loss before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	(7,917,000)	(12,506,000)	(27,460,000)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	(17,159,000)	946,000	756,000
Consolidated net income (loss)	9,242,000	(13,452,000)	(28,216,000)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	414,000	308,000	432,000
Net income (loss) attributable to Universal Hospital Services, Inc.	8,828,000	(13,760,000)	(28,648,000)
Consolidating Adjustments
Cost of Revenue
Equity in earnings of subsidiary	4,192,000	2,754,000	1,692,000
Loss before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	(4,192,000)	(2,754,000)	(1,692,000)
Consolidated net income (loss)	(4,192,000)	(2,754,000)	(1,692,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to Universal Hospital Services, Inc.	(4,192,000)	(2,754,000)	(1,692,000)
Parent Issuer UHS
Revenue
Medical Equipment Solutions	299,156,000	303,664,000	285,059,000
Clinical Engineering Solutions	120,769,000	105,770,000	99,188,000
Total revenues	419,925,000	409,434,000	384,247,000
Cost of Revenue
Cost of Medical Equipment Solutions	133,042,000	138,205,000	123,664,000
Cost of Clinical Engineering Solutions	96,104,000	84,397,000	78,988,000
Medical equipment depreciation	52,711,000	56,258,000	60,465,000
Total costs of revenues	281,857,000	278,860,000	263,117,000
Gross margin	138,068,000	130,574,000	121,130,000
Selling, general and administrative	101,948,000	100,760,000	104,193,000
Restructuring			2,321,000
(Gain) on settlement		(3,074,000)	(5,718,000)
Operating income	36,120,000	32,888,000	20,334,000
Equity in earnings of subsidiary	(4,192,000)	(2,754,000)	(1,692,000)
Interest expense	50,652,000	50,181,000	51,086,000
Loss before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	(10,340,000)	(14,539,000)	(29,060,000)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	(19,582,000)	(1,087,000)	(844,000)
Consolidated net income (loss)	9,242,000	(13,452,000)	(28,216,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to Universal Hospital Services, Inc.	9,242,000	(13,452,000)	(28,216,000)
Subsidiary Guarantor
Revenue
Clinical Engineering Solutions	20,160,000	1,981,000
Surgical services	74,698,000	68,086,000	64,434,000
Total revenues	94,858,000	70,067,000	64,434,000
Cost of Revenue
Cost of Clinical Engineering Solutions	14,279,000	1,325,000
Cost of surgical services	39,753,000	36,565,000	34,459,000
Medical equipment depreciation	7,139,000	5,899,000	6,313,000
Total costs of revenues	61,171,000	43,789,000	40,772,000
Gross margin	33,687,000	26,278,000	23,662,000
Selling, general and administrative	24,722,000	19,351,000	18,261,000
Operating income	8,965,000	6,927,000	5,401,000
Interest expense	2,350,000	2,140,000	2,109,000
Loss before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	6,615,000	4,787,000	3,292,000
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	2,423,000	2,033,000	1,600,000
Consolidated net income (loss)	4,192,000	2,754,000	1,692,000
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	414,000	308,000	432,000
Net income (loss) attributable to Universal Hospital Services, Inc.	$ 3,778,000	$ 2,446,000	$ 1,260,000