| **Assets and Liabilities in and Results of Discontinued Operations - Textual (Details) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified** | 12 Months Ended |        |        |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|--------|--------|
||
| **Assets Held for Sale and Results of Discontinued Operations (Textual) [Abstract]**                                                    |            |   |   |   |   |
| Number of freestanding LTCHs, operated                                                                                                  | 6               |   |   |   |   |
| LTCH Sale, Purchase Price                                                                                                               |            |   |   | $ 117.5 | $ 120.0 |
| Reduction in Aggregate Purchase Price, LTCH Sale                                                                                        |            |   |   | 2.5 |   |
| Number of Long-Term Acute Care Hospitals Sold                                                                                           | 5               |   |   |   |   |
| Number of Long Term Acute Care Hospitals Reclassified                                                                                   | 6               |   |   |   |   |
| Impairments                                                                                                                             | 6.8             | 0.6    | 4.0    |   |   |
| Prior Period Overpayments Included in Refunds Due Patients and Other Third-Party Payors Liability                                       |            | 42.1   |   |   |   |
| Current Balances Associated With Divested Divisions Included in Refunds Due Patients and Other Third-Party Payors                       |            | 33.9   |   |   |   |
| Surgery Centers Division [Member]                                                                                                       |            |   |   |   |   |
| **Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]**       |            |   |   |   |   |
| Gain on divestitures of LTCHs/divisions                                                                                                 |            |   | 13.4   |   |   |
| Delaware Settlement [Member]                                                                                                            |            |   |   |   |   |
| **Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]**       |            |   |   |   |   |
| Gain Related to Settlement, Audits of Unclaimed Property, Included in Income from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax                   | $ 24.8          |   |   |   |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**hls_AssetsHeldForSaleAndResultsOfDiscontinuedOperationsTextualAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of impairments attributable to the disposal group, including a component of the entity (discontinued operation), during the reporting period.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationImpairments**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount of income recognized in the period to settle audits of unclaimed property that is included in income from discontinued operations, net of tax.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_GainRelatedToSettlementAuditsOfUnclaimedPropertyIncludedInIncomeFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTax**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount to be received and contractually agreed upon by two independent parties related to the sale of the long-lived assets of a disposal group.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_LongLivedAssetsHeldForSalePurchasePrice**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of freestanding long-term acute care hospitals (LTCHs) owned and operated during the period.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_NumberOfFreestandingLtchs**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of long-term acute care hospitals reclassified as discontinued operations during the period.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_NumberOfLongTermAcuteCareHospitalsReclassified**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of long-term acute care hospitals sold during the period.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_NumberOfLongTermAcuteCareHospitalsSold**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Estimated amount of overpayments received in periods prior to December 31, 2004 from patients and other third-party payors.  These overpayments are recorded as a liability and are included in the line item, Refunds due patients and other third-party payors, on the balance sheet.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_PriorPeriodOverpaymentsIncludedInRefundsDuePatientsAndOtherThirdPartyPayorsLiability**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount by which an original purchase price in a sale agreement is reduced due to a revised contract.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_ReductionInAggregatePurchasePrice**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Current balance of overpayments received from patients and other third-party payors that were associated with the Company's divested divisions. These overpayments are recorded as a liability and are included in the line item, Refunds due patients and other third-party payors, on the balance sheet.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_RefundsDuePatientsAndOtherThirdPartyPayorsLiabilityDivestedDivisions**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Gain (loss) after tax expense or benefit, not previously recognized and resulting from the sale of a business component, which is recognized at the date of sale. A gain (loss) reflects the amount by which the consideration received exceeds (is exceeded by) the net carrying amount (reflecting previous provisions for loss on disposal, if any) of the disposal group.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6892542&loc=d3e957-107759Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 144 -Paragraph 43 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 144 -Paragraph 47 -Subparagraph b -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6360339&loc=d3e1361-107760
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationNetOfTax**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |