Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $) Share data in Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Percentage of total reimbursement of an outlier payment			10.00%
Episode of care as episodic-based revenue, days	60		60
Medicare payment program based on episode payment rate, days			60
First threshold of therapy services required			6
Second threshold of therapy services required			14
Third threshold of therapy services required			20
Minimum historical collection rate on Medicare claims			99.00%
Episodes of progress that begin during reporting period, days			60
Hospice Medicare revenue rate accounted for routine care	96.00%	97.00%	97.00%	97.00%
Portion of accounts receivable derived from Medicare			74.00%		76.00%
Revenue adjustment to Medicare revenue	$ 3,300,000	$ 2,700,000	$ 8,200,000	$ 4,400,000
Minimum days for accounts receivable outstanding to be fully reserved			360
Rate of request for anticipated payment submitted for the initial episode of care			60.00%
Rate of request for anticipated payment submitted for subsequent episodes of care			50.00%
Maximum days to submit final bill from the start of episode			120
Maximum days to submit final bill from the date the request for anticipated payment was paid			60
Long-term obligations	153,200,000		153,200,000
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - basic	28,770	28,096	28,587	28,007
Stock options		79		143
Non-vested stock and stock units		324		340
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - diluted	28,770	28,499	28,587	28,490
Anti-dilutive securities	925	162	544	70
Deferred income taxes			(133,623,000)	300,000
Goodwill and other intangibles impairment charge	574,114,000		574,114,000
Statutory rate			35.00%
Goodwill impairment			(565,000,000)
Deferred Income Tax Charges [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Impact of income tax provision and net loss	1,900,000
Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Intangible assets estimated useful lives, in years			3
Franchise Rights And Acquired Names [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Intangible assets estimated useful lives, in years			5
Goodwill [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Deferred income taxes			139,500,000
Cap Year 2010 [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Estimated amounts due back to Medicare	4,000,000		4,000,000		1,900,000
Cap Year 2011 [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Estimated amounts due back to Medicare	4,000,000		4,000,000		1,900,000
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Long-term obligations	$ 158,100,000		$ 158,100,000