| **Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Textual (Details) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified**      | 12 Months Ended |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
||
| **Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Textual) [Abstract]**                                                    |            |   |   |
| Number of states in which inpatient rehabilitation hospitals are located                                               | 28              |   |   |
| Number of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals                                                                           | 103             |   |   |
| Number of Joint Venture Hospitals Accounted for Using the Equity Method                                                | 2               |   |   |
| Number of hospitals, sole ownership                                                                                    | 72              |   |   |
| 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                                                                                     | 31              |   |   |
| Number of outpatient rehabilitation satellite clinics operated by our hospitals, including one joint venture satellite | 20              |   |   |
| Number of Hospital-based Home Health Agencies                                                                          | 25              |   |   |
| Number of inpatient rehabilitation units under management contracts                                                    | 3               |   |   |
| Total liabilities decreased due to reclassification adjustment                                                         |            | $ 6.2 |   |
| Shareholders' equity decreased due to reclassification adjustment                                                      |            | 0.6 |   |
| Total assets increased due to reclassification adjustment                                                              |            | 0.4 |   |
| Temporary equity increased due to reclassification adjustment                                                          |            | 7.2 |   |
| Adjustment to Income Tax Expense, Prior Year Corrections                                                               |            |   | 7 |
| Compliance Threshold Percentage Under The Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007                          | 60.00%          |   |   |
| Initial Suspension Period Medicare Payments                                                                            | 180             |   |   |
| Reduction in Net Operating Revenue, Post-Payment Claims                                                                | 8               |   |   |
| Medicare Denials, Percentage Collected After Appeal                                                                    | 58.00%          |   |   |
| Medicare Denials, Percentage Collected After Appeal, Including Administrative Law Judge Hearings                       | 70.00%          |   |   |
| Minimum amount of loss contingency accrual to consider the associated estimated legal fees as accrued                  | 5.0             |   |   |
| Advertising expenses, included in Other operating expenses                                                             | $ 5.2           | $ 5.0 | $ 4.3 |
| Market access assets [Member]                                                                                          |            |   |   |
| **Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Textual) [Abstract]**                                                    |            |   |   |
| Market Access Assets, Useful Life                                                                                      | 20 years        |   |   |
| RAC Audits [Member]                                                                                                    |            |   |   |
| **Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Textual) [Abstract]**                                                    |            |   |   |
| Percentage of average annual patient discharges requested for review, less than                                        | 1.00%           |   |   |

| 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 historical collection percentage of accounts receivable that have been denied and appealed up to an administrative law judge hearing 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_MedicareDenialsPercentageCollectedAfterAppealIncludingAdministrativeLawJudgeHearings**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
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 average annual patient discharges between 2010 and 2013 requested for review.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_Percentageofaverageannualpatientdischargesrequestedforreviewlessthan**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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
A reduction to net operating revenues for post-payment claims that are part of a review by the Recovery Audit Contractors. These post-payment audits are focused on medical necessity requirements for admission to IRFs rather than targeting a specific diagnosis code as in previous pre-payment audits. Medical necessity is a subjective assessment by an independent physician of a patient’s ability to tolerate and benefit from intensive multi-disciplinary therapy provided in an IRF setting.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_ReductioninNetOperatingRevenuePostPaymentClaims**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Shareholders' equity decreased due to reclassification adjustment.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_ShareholdersEquityDecreasedDueToReclassificationAdjustment**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**hls_SummaryOfSignificantAccountingPoliciesTextualAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Temporary equity increased due to reclassification adjustment.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_TemporaryEquityIncreasedDueToReclassificationAdjustment**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Total assets increased due to reclassification adjustment.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_TotalAssetsIncreasedDueToReclassificationAdjustment**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Total liabilities decreased due to reclassification adjustment.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_TotalLiabilitiesDecreasedDueToReclassificationAdjustment**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**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=d3e36677-107848
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| 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 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
Amount of increase (decrease) to previously recorded tax expense. Includes, but is not limited to, significant settlements of income tax disputes, and unusual tax positions or infrequent actions taken by the entity, including tax assessment reversal, and IRS tax settlement.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=29652012&loc=d3e28446-109314Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=29652012&loc=d3e28511-109314
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_TaxAdjustmentsSettlementsAndUnusualProvisions**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |