Consolidating Financial Statements (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Revenue
Medical equipment outsourcing	$ 81,995	$ 77,384
Technical and professional services	21,249	20,129
Medical equipment sales and remarketing	7,114	6,368
Total revenues	110,358	103,881
Cost of Revenue
Cost of medical equipment outsourcing	33,874	29,323
Cost of technical and professional services	17,031	15,768
Cost of medical equipment sales and remarketing	5,694	4,753
Medical equipment depreciation	17,897	16,906
Total costs of medical equipment outsourcing, technical and professional services and medical equipment sales and remarketing	74,496	66,750
Gross margin	35,862	37,131
Selling, general and administrative	29,525	27,659
Restructuring, acquisition and integration expenses	53	104
Operating income	6,284	9,368
Loss on extinguishment of debt	1,853
Interest expense	13,877	15,499
Loss before income taxes and non controlling interest	(9,446)	(6,131)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	731	(3,169)
Consolidated net loss	(10,177)	(2,962)
Net income attributable to non controlling interest	181	182
Net loss attributable to Universal Hospital Services, Inc.	(10,358)	(3,144)
Parent Issuer UHS
Revenue
Medical equipment outsourcing	68,685	65,543
Technical and professional services	21,249	20,129
Medical equipment sales and remarketing	7,114	6,368
Total revenues	97,048	92,040
Cost of Revenue
Cost of medical equipment outsourcing	26,505	22,775
Cost of technical and professional services	17,031	15,768
Cost of medical equipment sales and remarketing	5,694	4,753
Medical equipment depreciation	16,487	15,763
Total costs of medical equipment outsourcing, technical and professional services and medical equipment sales and remarketing	65,717	59,059
Gross margin	31,331	32,981
Selling, general and administrative	24,890	24,044
Restructuring, acquisition and integration expenses	(237)	104
Operating income	6,678	8,833
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiary	595	(91)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	1,853
Interest expense	13,374	15,151
Loss before income taxes and non controlling interest	(9,144)	(6,227)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	1,033	(3,265)
Consolidated net loss	(10,177)	(2,962)
Net income attributable to non controlling interest		182
Net loss attributable to Universal Hospital Services, Inc.	(10,177)	(3,144)
Subsidiary Guarantor Surgical Services
Revenue
Medical equipment outsourcing	13,310	11,841
Total revenues	13,310	11,841
Cost of Revenue
Cost of medical equipment outsourcing	7,369	6,548
Medical equipment depreciation	1,410	1,143
Total costs of medical equipment outsourcing, technical and professional services and medical equipment sales and remarketing	8,779	7,691
Gross margin	4,531	4,150
Selling, general and administrative	4,635	3,615
Restructuring, acquisition and integration expenses	290
Operating income	(394)	535
Interest expense	503	348
Loss before income taxes and non controlling interest	(897)	187
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	(302)	96
Consolidated net loss	(595)	91
Net income attributable to non controlling interest	181	182
Net loss attributable to Universal Hospital Services, Inc.	(776)	(91)
Consolidating Adjustments
Cost of Revenue
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiary	(595)	91
Loss before income taxes and non controlling interest	595	(91)
Consolidated net loss	595	(91)
Net income attributable to non controlling interest		(182)
Net loss attributable to Universal Hospital Services, Inc.	$ 595	$ 91