| **Assets and Liabilities in and Results of Discontinued Operations - Textual (Details) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified** | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |        |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|-----------------|--------|
||
| **Assets Held for Sale and Results of Discontinued Operations (Textual) [Abstract]**                                                    |           |            |   |   |   |
| Number of Long-Term Acute Care Hospitals Sold                                                                                           | 5              |            |   |   |   |
| LTCH Sale, Purchase Price                                                                                                               | $ 117.5        |            |   |   |   |
| **Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]**       |           |            |   |   |   |
| Gain on Disposition of Assets Discontinued Operations                                                                                   |           | (0.4)           | 5.0    | 65.6 |   |
| Option Contract, Annual Premium                                                                                                         |           |            |   |   | 15.00% |
| Option Contract, Exercisable                                                                                                            |           |            |   |   | 30.00% |
| 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 |   |
| Maximum [Member]                                                                                                                        |           |            |   |   |   |
| **Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]**       |           |            |   |   |   |
| Option Contract, Equity Opportunity                                                                                                     |           |            |   |   | 5.00% |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**hls_AssetsHeldForSaleAndResultsOfDiscontinuedOperationsTextualAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Pre-tax gain or loss resulting from the sale or disposal of tangible assets of a disposal group, sale of investments of a disposal group, or discontinued operation during the reporting period.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssetsDiscontinuedOperations**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**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 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
The annual premium set forth in an option contract.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_OptionContractAnnualPremium**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The equity interest available to be purchased set forth in an option contract.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_OptionContractEquityOpportunity**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
An option contract is exercisable when this amount of the company's common stock is listed or being traded on a national securities exchange.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_OptionContractExercisable**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |