Consolidating Financial Statements (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
Revenue
Medical equipment outsourcing	$ 78,308	$ 75,081	$ 160,305	$ 152,465
Technical and professional services	21,912	22,350	43,161	42,479
Medical equipment sales and remarketing	6,769	9,264	13,883	15,631
Total revenues	106,989	106,695	217,349	210,575
Cost of Sales
Cost of medical equipment outsourcing	34,148	19,212	68,020	48,537
Cost of technical and professional services	16,778	16,885	33,809	32,654
Cost of medical equipment sales and remarketing	5,349	7,345	11,044	12,099
Medical equipment depreciation	18,459	17,321	36,356	34,225
Total costs of medical equipment outsourcing, technical and professional services and medical equipment sales and remarketing	74,734	60,763	149,229	127,515
Gross margin	32,255	45,932	68,120	83,060
Selling, general and administrative	30,653	28,709	60,180	56,367
Restructuring, acquisition and integration expenses	183	190	236	294
Operating income	1,419	17,033	7,704	26,399
Loss on extinguishment of debt			1,853
Interest expense	13,944	14,504	27,822	30,003
Income (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	(12,525)	2,529	(21,971)	(3,604)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	183	197	915	(2,972)
Consolidated net income (loss)	(12,708)	2,332	(22,886)	(632)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	135	184	315	366
Net income (loss) attributable to Universal Hospital Services, Inc.	(12,843)	2,148	(23,201)	(998)
Parent Issuer UHS
Revenue
Medical equipment outsourcing	64,217	62,793	132,903	128,336
Technical and professional services	21,912	22,350	43,161	42,479
Medical equipment sales and remarketing	6,769	9,264	13,883	15,631
Total revenues	92,898	94,407	189,947	186,446
Cost of Sales
Cost of medical equipment outsourcing	26,262	12,456	52,766	35,231
Cost of technical and professional services	16,778	16,885	33,809	32,654
Cost of medical equipment sales and remarketing	5,349	7,345	11,044	12,099
Medical equipment depreciation	16,944	16,152	33,431	31,915
Total costs of medical equipment outsourcing, technical and professional services and medical equipment sales and remarketing	65,333	52,838	131,050	111,899
Gross margin	27,565	41,569	58,897	74,547
Selling, general and administrative	25,795	23,472	50,685	47,514
Restructuring, acquisition and integration expenses	108	126	(129)	230
Operating income	1,662	17,971	8,341	26,803
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiary	553	1,299	1,149	1,208
Loss on extinguishment of debt			1,853
Interest expense	13,375	14,150	26,750	29,302
Income (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	(12,266)	2,522	(21,411)	(3,707)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	442	190	1,475	(3,075)
Consolidated net income (loss)	(12,708)	2,332	(22,886)	(632)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest		184		366
Net income (loss) attributable to Universal Hospital Services, Inc.	(12,708)	2,148	(22,886)	(998)
Subsidiary Guarantor Surgical Services
Revenue
Medical equipment outsourcing	14,091	12,288	27,402	24,129
Total revenues	14,091	12,288	27,402	24,129
Cost of Sales
Cost of medical equipment outsourcing	7,886	6,756	15,254	13,306
Medical equipment depreciation	1,515	1,169	2,925	2,310
Total costs of medical equipment outsourcing, technical and professional services and medical equipment sales and remarketing	9,401	7,925	18,179	15,616
Gross margin	4,690	4,363	9,223	8,513
Selling, general and administrative	4,858	5,237	9,495	8,853
Restructuring, acquisition and integration expenses	75	64	365	64
Operating income	(243)	(938)	(637)	(404)
Interest expense	569	354	1,072	701
Income (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	(812)	(1,292)	(1,709)	(1,105)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	(259)	7	(560)	103
Consolidated net income (loss)	(553)	(1,299)	(1,149)	(1,208)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	135	184	315	366
Net income (loss) attributable to Universal Hospital Services, Inc.	(688)	(1,483)	(1,464)	(1,574)
Consolidating Adjustments
Cost of Sales
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiary	(553)	(1,299)	(1,149)	(1,208)
Income (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	553	1,299	1,149	1,208
Consolidated net income (loss)	553	1,299	1,149	1,208
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest		(184)		(366)
Net income (loss) attributable to Universal Hospital Services, Inc.	$ 553	$ 1,483	$ 1,149	$ 1,574