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Dispositions and Acquisitions - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015 Bed	Mar. 31, 2014
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Cash paid/reserved related to acquisition of property and businesses	$ 34,500,000us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired	$ 3,301,000us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired
Number of beds	24uhs_NumberOfBedsAvailableInAcquiredHospitalInBusinessAcquisition
Aggregate cash proceeds from divestiture of businesses		11,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinessesNetOfCashDivested
Pre-tax gain (loss) proceeds from divestiture of businesses		$ 10,000,000uhs_GainLossOnSaleOfBusinessBeforeTax
Cygnet Hospital-Taunton
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Number of beds	46uhs_NumberOfBedsAvailableInAcquiredHospitalInBusinessAcquisition / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = uhs_AcquiredCompanyFourMember
Palo Verde Behavioral Health
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Number of beds		48uhs_NumberOfBedsAvailableInAcquiredHospitalInBusinessAcquisition / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = uhs_AcquiredCompanyThreeMember

X

- Definition

Gain Loss On Sale Of Business Before Tax

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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X

- Definition

Number Of Beds Available In Acquired Hospital In Business Acquisition

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	uhs_
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X

- Definition

The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of a business, net of the cash acquired from the purchase.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Investing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3213-108585

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X

- Definition

This element represents the cash inflow during the period from the sale of a component of the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Investing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 12

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3179-108585

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