Accounts payable Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts ($355 at September 30, 2010 and $369 at December 31, 2009) Property and equipment, accumulated depreciation and amortization Accumulated other comprehensive loss Additional paid-in capital Adjustments, Noncash Items, to Reconcile Net Income (Loss) to Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Other Other items, net Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Accounts receivable, allowance for doubtful accounts Amendment Flag Total assets Total assets ASSETS Total current assets Total current assets Current assets: Assets held for sale ACQUISITIONS Cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents at end of period Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities from discontinued operations, excluding income taxes Commitments and contingencies CLAIMS AND LAWSUITS Common stock, par value Common stock, authorized Common stock, shares issued Common stock, $0.05 par value; authorized 1,050,000,000 shares; 550,710,050 shares issued at September 30, 2010 and 538,610,856 shares issued at December 31, 2009 OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME The cash outflow from construction costs to date on new and replacement hospitals. Construction Of New And Replacement Hospitals Construction of new and replacement hospitals Current Fiscal Year End Date Deferred income tax expense (benefit) Current portion of deferred income taxes Deferred income taxes, net of current portion Deferred income taxes Depreciation and amortization EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS Net losses on sales of facilities Pre-tax loss from discontinued operations Pre-tax loss from discontinued operations Loss from operations Pretax aggregate amount provided for estimated restructuring charges, remediation costs, and asset impairment loss during an accounting period relating to a disposal group that is classified as a component of the entity.Generally, these items are either unusual or infrequent, but not both (in which case they would be extraordinary items). Impairment of long-lived assets and goodwill, and restructuring charges, net Impairment of long-lived assets and goodwill, and restructuring charges, net Discontinued Operation, Tax Effect of Discontinued Operation Income tax benefit (expense) Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations, Disclosure [Text Block] DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS The cash inflow associated with the reclassification of the Reserve Yield Plus Fund investment into cash and cash equivalents due to the collection of cash during or subsequent to the reporting period. This fund did not previously meet the definition of cash equivalent. Distributions received from investments in Reserve Yield Plus Fund Document - Document and Entity Information [Abstract] Document - Document and Entity Information [Abstract] Document Fiscal Period Focus Document Fiscal Year Focus Document Period End Date Document Type Earnings (loss) per share attributable to Tenet Healthcare Corporation common shareholders Earnings Per Share, Basic Earnings Per Share, Basic, Total Earnings Per Share, Basic [Abstract] Basic Earnings Per Share, Diluted Earnings Per Share, Diluted, Total Earnings Per Share, Diluted [Abstract] Diluted EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE Accrued compensation and benefits Entity Central Index Key Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding Entity [Domain] Entity Filer Category Entity Registrant Name FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS Other intangible assets, accumulated amortization Investment earnings (loss) Net gain on sales of investments Net gain on sales of investments Litigation and investigation costs Litigation and investigation costs Gain (loss) from early extinguishment of debt (Gain) loss from early extinguishment of debt Goodwill Supplies Net operating revenues Amounts attributable to Tenet Healthcare Corporation common shareholders Income from continuing operations, net of tax Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income (expense) before income (loss) from income taxes, extraordinary items, cumulative effects of changes in accounting principles, and noncontrolling interest. Income (loss) from continuing operations, before income taxes Income (loss) from continuing operations, before income taxes Income from continuing operations, before discontinued operations Income from continuing operations, before discontinued operations Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Per Basic Share Continuing operations Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Per Diluted Share Continuing operations Loss from discontinued operations Loss from discontinued operations Discontinued operations: Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Per Basic Share Discontinued operations Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Per Diluted Share Discontinued operations Income Statement [Abstract] INCOME TAXES Income tax refunds, net Income tax receivable Income tax benefit (expense) Income tax benefit (expense) Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities Accounts receivable Accounts receivable Increase (Decrease) in Income Taxes Receivable Income taxes The net change during the reporting period in the aggregate value of all inventory held by the reporting entity and other current assets not otherwise defined in the taxonomy, associated with underlying transactions that are classified as operating activities. Inventories and other current assets Inventories and other current assets Changes in cash from operating assets and liabilities: Increase (Decrease) in Other Operating Liabilities Other long-term liabilities Other intangible assets, at cost, less accumulated amortization ($298 at September 30, 2010 and $257 at December 31, 2009) Interest Expense Interest expense Interest paid, net of capitalized interest Accrued interest payable Inventories of supplies, at cost Salaries, wages and benefits Legal Entity [Axis] Total liabilities Total liabilities Total liabilities and equity Total liabilities and equity LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Total current liabilities Total current liabilities Current liabilities: Litigation Reserve, Current Accrued legal settlement costs Litigation Reserve, Noncurrent Accrued legal settlement costs Long-term debt, net of current portion Current portion of long-term debt LONG-TERM DEBT AND LEASE OBLIGATIONS Investments and other assets Investments in marketable securities Noncontrolling interests Net cash used in financing activities Net cash used in financing activities Cash flows from financing activities: Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities Cash flows from investing activities: Net cash provided by operating activities Net cash provided by operating activities Net income (loss) attributable to Tenet Healthcare Corporation common shareholders Net income (loss) attributable to Tenet Healthcare Corporation common shareholders Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests Notes to Financial Statements [Abstract] Notes to Financial Statements [Abstract] Operating expenses: Operating income Operating income BASIS OF PRESENTATION Other current assets Other operating expenses, net Other current liabilities Other Liabilities, Noncurrent Other long-term liabilities Investments in Reserve Yield Plus Fund Payments for (Proceeds from) Other Investing Activities Other items, net Payments against reserves for restructuring charges and litigation costs, which may include attorneys' fees and other litigation costs. Payments against reserves for restructuring charges and litigation costs Payments against reserves for restructuring charges and litigation costs Deferred debt issuance costs Deferred debt issuance costs Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests Cash dividends on preferred stock Cash dividends on preferred stock Purchase of businesses or joint venture interest Purchase of businesses or joint venture interest Purchases of marketable securities Purchases of marketable securities The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of long-lived, physical assets that are used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services for continuing operations and not intended for resale; includes cash outflows to pay for construction of self-constructed assets except for new and replacement hospitals. Purchases of property and equipment - continuing operations Purchases of property and equipment - continuing operations The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of long-lived, physical assets that are used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services for discontinued operations and not intended for resale; includes cash outflows to pay for construction of self-constructed assets. Purchases of property and equipment - discontinued operations Purchases of property and equipment - discontinued operations Less: Preferred stock dividends Preferred stock, liquidation preference Preferred stock, par value Preferred stock, authorized Preferred stock, share issued Preferred stock, $0.15 par value; authorized 2,500,000 shares; 345,000 of 7% mandatory convertible shares with a liquidation preference of $1,000 per share issued at September 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009 Proceeds from sales of facilities and other assets - discontinued operations The cash inflow for a financial contract that meets the hedge criteria as either cash flow hedge, fair value hedge or hedge of net investment in foreign operations. Proceeds From Interest Rate Swap Agreement Proceeds from interest rate swap agreement Proceeds from issuance of mandatory convertible preferred stock Proceeds from borrowings Proceeds from (Payments for) Other Financing Activities Other items, net Proceeds from hospital authority bonds The cash inflow associated with the aggregate amount received by the entity through sale or maturity of marketable securities (trading, held-to-maturity, or available-for-sale) during the period.sale of long term investments and the sale of other assets not otherwise defined in the taxonomy. Proceeds from sales of marketable securities, long-term investments and other assets Net income Net income (loss) Property and equipment, at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization ($3,073 at September 30, 2010 and $2,970 at December 31, 2009) Description of insurance coverage used by the entity to manage the financial risk of malpractice claims (including general and professional liability) and property, business interruption and related insurance coverage . Disclosure may include a discussion of the entity's risk management policies, a description of the insurance arrangements (including type, coverage, coverage limits, and deductible), description of the insurer, and whether the entity is self insured or retains significant self-insurance risk. PROPERTY AND PROFESSIONAL AND GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE Provision for doubtful accounts Repayments of borrowings Repayments of borrowings Description of impairment and restructuring activities including exit activities, which should include facts and circumstances leading to the plan, the expected plan completion date, the major types of costs associated with the plan activities, total expected costs, the accrual balance at the end of the period, and the periods over which the remaining accrual will be settled. For long-lived assets to be held and used by an entity, disclosures may include a description of the impaired long-lived asset and facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, amount of the impairment loss and where the loss is located in the income statement, method(s) for determining fair value, and the segment in which the impaired long-lived asset is reported. This element may be used as a single block of text to encapsulate the entire disclosure including data and tables. IMPAIRMENT AND RESTRUCTURING CHARGES Impairment of long-lived assets and goodwill, and restructuring charges Accumulated deficit ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE AND ALLOWANCE FOR DOUBTFUL ACCOUNTS GUARANTEES RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS SUBSEQUENT EVENTS Self Insurance Reserve Professional and general liability reserves Represents the current portion of the carrying amount of accrued known and estimated losses incurred as of the balance sheet date for which no insurance coverage exists, and for which a claim has been made or is probable of being asserted, typically arising from workmen's' compensation-type of incidents and personal injury to nonemployees from accidents on the entity's property. Self Insurance Reserve, Current Professional and general liability reserves Stock-based compensation expense Statement [Line Items] Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract] Statement of Financial Position [Abstract] Statement [Table] Total shareholders' equity Total shareholders' equity Shareholders' equity: Total equity Total equity Equity: EQUITY Supplemental disclosures: Trading Symbol Common stock in treasury, shares Less common stock in treasury, at cost; 65,383,026 shares at September 30, 2010 and 57,475,602 shares at December 31, 2009 Less common stock in treasury, at cost; 65,383,026 shares at September 30, 2010 and 57,475,602 shares at December 31, 2009 Fair market value adjustments related to interest rate swap and LIBOR cap agreements Fair market value adjustments related to interest rate swap and LIBOR cap agreements Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted Diluted Weighted average shares and dilutive securities outstanding (in thousands): Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic Basic