| **Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Textual (Details) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified**      | 12 Months Ended |         | 12 Months Ended |        |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|---------|-----------------|--------|
||
| **Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Textual) [Abstract]**                                                    |            |    |            |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals                                                                           | 100             |    |            |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of Joint Venture Hospitals Accounted for Using the Equity Method                                                | 2               |    |            |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of hospitals, sole ownership                                                                                    | 71              |    |            |   |   |   |   |   |
| Percentage of ownership in jointly owned hospitals, minimum                                                            | 50.00%          |    |            |   |   |   |   |   |
| Percentage of ownership in jointly owned hospitals, maximum                                                            | 97.50%          |    |            |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of hospitals, jointly owned                                                                                     | 29              |    |            |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of states in which inpatient rehabilitation hospitals are located                                               | 27              |    |            |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of outpatient rehabilitation satellite clinics operated by our hospitals, including one joint venture satellite | 24              |    |            |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of Hospital-based Home Health Agencies                                                                          | 25              |    |            |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of inpatient rehabilitation units under management contracts                                                    | 3               |    |            |   |   |   |   |   |
| Prior Period Reclassification Adjustment                                                                               |            | $ 100.6 |            |   |   |   |   |   |
| Adjustment to Income Tax Expense, Prior Year Corrections                                                               | 7               | 7       |            |   |   |   |   |   |
| Compliance Threshold Percentage Under The Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007                          | 60.00%          |    |            |   |   |   |   |   |
| Initial Suspension Period Medicare Payments                                                                            | 180             |    |            |   |   |   |   |   |
| Revenue from patients participating in the Medicare program as percentage of Net operating revenues                    | 73.40%          | 72.00%  | 70.50%          |   |   |   |   |   |
| Medicare Denials, Percentage Collected After Appeal                                                                    | 58.00%          |    |            |   |   |   |   |   |
| Market Access Assets, Useful Life                                                                                      |            |    |            |   | 20 years |   |   |   |
| Senior Notes, Stated Interest Rate                                                                                     |            |    |            | 3.25%  |   |   |   |   |
| Minimum amount of loss contingency accrual to consider the associated estimated legal fees as accrued                  | 5.0             |    |            |   |   |   |   |   |
| Advertising expenses, included in Other operating expenses                                                             | 5.0             | 4.3     | 4.3             |   |   |   |   |   |
| Litigation Settlement, Expense                                                                                         |            |    |            |   |   | $ 1.4 | $ 5.2 |   |
| Net Recoveries, Percentage Owed to Derivative Litigation Attorneys                                                     |            |    |            |   |   |   |   | 35.00% |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Compliance threshold under the Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Extension Act of 2007 as of the blance sheet date.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_ComplianceThresholdUnderHealthCareAct**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The number of days Medicare payments to providers may be initially suspended by CMS. CMS may suspend payments if it possesses reliable information that an overpayment, fraud, or willful misrepresentation exists.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_InitialSuspensionPeriodMedicarePayments**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:decimalItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The historical collection percentage of accounts receivable that have been denied and appealed as of the balance sheet date.  The denial of certain diagnosis codes by Medicare contractors are based on medical necessity and in most instances are disputed or appealed by the Company.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_MedicareDenialsPercentageCollectedAfterAppeal**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The minimum dollar amount that must be accrued for a loss contingency related to a specific legal dispute that can be utilized for consideration prior to accruing an estimate of the legal fees related to this specific legal dispute.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_MinimumAmountOfLossContingencyToConsiderWhenAccruingEstimateOfRelatedLegalFees**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount owed to the attorneys for the derivative shareholders plaintiffs as part of the Consolidated Securities Action settlement agreement and expressed as a percentage of any net recoveries received from any future judgments obtained by the Company with respect to certain claims against the Company's former CEO.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_NetRecoveriesPercentageOwedToDerivativeLitigationAttorneys**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of hospital based home health agencies the Company owns and operates as of the balance sheet date.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_NumberOfHospitalBasedHomeHealthAgencies**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of hospitals that are 100%-owned by the Company as of the balance sheet date.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_NumberOfHospitalsSoleOwnership**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Total number of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals owned and operated as of the balance sheet date.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_NumberOfInpatientRehabilitationHospitals**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of inpatient rehabilitation units under management contracts with the Company as of the balance sheet date.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_NumberOfInpatientRehabilitationUnitsUnderManagementContracts**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Total number of less-than-100%-owned hospitals that the Company owns and operates as of the balance sheet date.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_NumberOfJointlyOwnedHospitals**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Total number of joint venture hospitals accounted for using the equity method.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_NumberOfJointVentureHospitalsAccountedForUsingEquityMethod**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of outpatient rehabilitation satellite clinics the Company owns and operates as of the balance sheet date.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_NumberOfOutpatientRehabilitationSatelliteClinics**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Percentage of net operating revenues related to Medicare.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_PercentageOfNetOperatingRevenuesMedicare**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Maximum percentage of ownership in any one of the Company's jointly owned hospitals as of the balance sheet date.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_PercentageOfOwnershipInJointlyOwnedHospitalsMaximum**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Minimum percentage of ownership in any one of the Company's jointly owned hospitals as of the balance sheet date.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_PercentageOfOwnershipInJointlyOwnedHospitalsMinimum**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**hls_SummaryOfSignificantAccountingPoliciesTextualAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount charged to advertising expense for the period, which are expenses incurred with the objective of increasing revenue for a specified brand, product or product line.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 720 -SubTopic 35 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6420018&loc=d3e36677-107848Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Statement of Position (SOP) -Number 93-7 -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.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Interest rate stated in the contractual debt agreement.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Useful life of finite-lived intangible assets, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetUsefulLife**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:durationItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The portion of the difference, between total income tax expense or benefit as reported in the Income Statement for the year/accounting period and the expected income tax expense or benefit computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations, that is attributable to all other items not otherwise listed in the existing taxonomy.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32687-109319
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
This element represents the expenses incurred by the entity which are directly related and attributable to receiving an award in settlement of litigation.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_LitigationSettlementExpense**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The number of states the entity operates in as of the balance sheet date.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_NumberOfStatesInWhichEntityOperates**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount of a reclassification adjustment made to prior period financial statement amounts.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_PriorPeriodReclassificationAdjustment**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |