Nature Of Operations, Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements (Details)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Nature Of Operations, Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Percent of net services revenue provided by Medicare	85.00%	85.00%	85.00%	86.00%
Medicare-certified home health agencies	482		482
Medicare-certified hospice agencies	90		90
Number of states with facilities	45		45
Minimum percent ownership for controlling interest percent	50.00%		50.00%

- Definition

Description containing the number of Medicare-certified Home Health agencies owned by the entity as of the balance sheet date.

+ Details

Name:	amed_MedicareCertifiedHomeHealthAgencies
Namespace Prefix:	amed
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description containing the number of Medicare-certified Hospice agencies owned by the entity as of the balance sheet date.

+ Details

Name:	amed_MedicareCertifiedHospiceAgencies
Namespace Prefix:	amed
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description containing the percentage ownership required in order for a variable interest entity (VIE) to be consolidated in the entity's financial statements.

+ Details

Name:	amed_MinimumPercentOwnershipForControllingInterestPercent
Namespace Prefix:	amed
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description containing the number of states and/or U.S. territories in which the entity owned at least one agency as of the balance sheet date.

+ Details

Name:	amed_NumberOfStatesWithFacilities
Namespace Prefix:	amed
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description containing the percentage of the entity's net service revenue that is derived from Medicare.

+ Details

Name:	amed_PercentOfNetServicesRevenueProvidedByMedicare
Namespace Prefix:	amed
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_OrganizationConsolidationAndPresentationOfFinancialStatementsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration