Consolidating Financial Statements - Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Revenue
Medical equipment solutions	$ 68,985	$ 67,861	$ 214,154	$ 216,771
Clinical engineering solutions	25,401	23,717	74,581	68,505
Surgical services	16,727	14,887	48,154	43,890
Total revenues	111,113	106,465	336,889	329,166
Cost of Revenue
Cost of medical equipment solutions	30,134	32,204	92,466	97,919
Cost of clinical engineering solutions	20,063	18,670	59,333	54,454
Cost of surgical services	8,780	7,982	25,681	24,418
Medical equipment depreciation	16,590	17,766	50,225	55,996
Total costs of revenues	75,567	76,622	227,705	232,787
Gross margin	35,546	29,843	109,184	96,379
Selling, general and administrative	30,633	26,539	91,825	85,416
(Gain) on settlement			(5,718)
Restructuring, acquisition and integration expenses				1,820
Intangible asset impairment charge				34,900
Operating income (loss)	4,913	3,304	23,077	(25,757)
Interest expense	13,250	13,264	39,810	39,922
Loss before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	(8,337)	(9,960)	(16,733)	(65,679)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	210	225	559	(13,232)
Consolidated net loss	(8,547)	(10,185)	(17,292)	(52,447)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	121	103	341	364
Net loss attributable to Universal Hospital Services, Inc.	(8,668)	(10,288)	(17,633)	(52,811)
Consolidating Adjustments
Cost of Revenue
Equity in loss of subsidiary	442	(111)	1,201	(312)
Loss before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	(442)	111	(1,201)	312
Consolidated net loss	(442)	111	(1,201)	312
Net loss attributable to Universal Hospital Services, Inc.	(442)	111	(1,201)	312
UHS Holdco, Inc., (Parent)
Revenue
Medical equipment solutions	68,985	67,861	214,154	216,771
Clinical engineering solutions	25,401	23,717	74,581	68,505
Total revenues	94,386	91,578	288,735	285,276
Cost of Revenue
Cost of medical equipment solutions	30,134	32,204	92,466	97,919
Cost of clinical engineering solutions	20,063	18,670	59,333	54,454
Medical equipment depreciation	15,043	16,340	45,712	51,843
Total costs of revenues	65,240	67,214	197,511	204,216
Gross margin	29,146	24,364	91,224	81,060
Selling, general and administrative	25,956	21,467	77,975	70,732
(Gain) on settlement			(5,718)
Restructuring, acquisition and integration expenses				1,820
Intangible asset impairment charge				34,900
Operating income (loss)	3,190	2,897	18,967	(26,392)
Equity in loss of subsidiary	(442)	111	(1,201)	312
Interest expense	12,718	12,726	38,244	38,322
Loss before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	(9,086)	(9,940)	(18,076)	(65,026)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	(539)	245	(784)	(12,579)
Consolidated net loss	(8,547)	(10,185)	(17,292)	(52,447)
Net loss attributable to Universal Hospital Services, Inc.	(8,547)	(10,185)	(17,292)	(52,447)
Subsidiary Guarantor Surgical Services
Revenue
Surgical services	16,727	14,887	48,154	43,890
Total revenues	16,727	14,887	48,154	43,890
Cost of Revenue
Cost of surgical services	8,780	7,982	25,681	24,418
Medical equipment depreciation	1,547	1,426	4,513	4,153
Total costs of revenues	10,327	9,408	30,194	28,571
Gross margin	6,400	5,479	17,960	15,319
Selling, general and administrative	4,677	5,072	13,850	14,684
Operating income (loss)	1,723	407	4,110	635
Interest expense	532	538	1,566	1,600
Loss before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	1,191	(131)	2,544	(965)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	749	(20)	1,343	(653)
Consolidated net loss	442	(111)	1,201	(312)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	121	103	341	364
Net loss attributable to Universal Hospital Services, Inc.	$ 321	$ (214)	$ 860	$ (676)