Segment Data - Revenues by Geographic Areas (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 4,253	$ 4,195	$ 8,479	$ 8,355
Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	2,151	2,180	4,241	4,316
Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	1,113	1,052	2,236	2,108
Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	990	963	2,002	1,932
United States
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	2,415	2,341	4,845	4,728
United States | IVFluids
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		2		3
United States | InterventionalSpecialties,BrachytherapyandFeedingProducts
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		31		63
United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	1,200	1,211	2,404	2,450
United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	522	470	1,060	954
United States | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	693	659	1,381	1,323
International
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	1,839	1,854	3,634	3,628
International | InterventionalSpecialties,BrachytherapyandFeedingProducts
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		13		28
International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	951	969	1,836	1,865
International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	591	582	1,176	1,153
International | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	297	303	621	609
Medication Delivery Solutions | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	904	928	1,852	1,884
Medication Delivery Solutions | United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	518	482	1,038	1,000
Medication Delivery Solutions | International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	386	446	814	883
Medication Management Solutions | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	568	617	1,143	1,242
Medication Management Solutions | United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	449	499	912	1,007
Medication Management Solutions | International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	119	118	231	236
Diabetes Care | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	278	270	547	544
Diabetes Care | United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	142	137	281	282
Diabetes Care | International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	137	133	266	261
Pharmaceutical Systems | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	400	366	699	646
Pharmaceutical Systems | United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	91	93	174	161
Pharmaceutical Systems | International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	309	273	525	485
Preanalytical Systems | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	400	366	798	758
Preanalytical Systems | United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	208	171	410	371
Preanalytical Systems | International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	192	195	388	387
Diagnostic Systems | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	434	389	835	771
Diagnostic Systems | United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	206	180	390	355
Diagnostic Systems | International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	228	209	446	416
Integrated Diagnostic Solutions | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	833	755	1,633	1,529
Integrated Diagnostic Solutions | United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	413	350	799	726
Integrated Diagnostic Solutions | International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	420	404	834	803
Biosciences | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	280	297	603	579
Biosciences | United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	108	120	260	228
Biosciences | International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	172	177	342	350
Surgery | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	312	308	638	618
Surgery | United States | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	249	242	505	488
Surgery | International | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	63	66	133	130
Peripheral Intervention | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	399	387	794	769
Peripheral Intervention | United States | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	242	225	467	448
Peripheral Intervention | International | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	157	162	327	321
Urology and Critical Care | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	279	268	570	545
Urology and Critical Care | United States | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	202	193	409	388
Urology and Critical Care | International | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 76	$ 75	$ 161	$ 158