Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Income) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	$ 2,328,573	$ 2,455,793
Cost of goods sold	2,047,393	2,159,157
Gross margin	281,180	296,636
Distribution, selling and administrative expenses	237,693	242,725
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	8,942	10,483
Other operating income, net	(972)	(1,542)
Operating earnings	35,517	44,970
Interest expense (income), net	6,744	6,790
Income before income taxes	28,773	38,180
Income tax (benefit) provision	9,988	14,045
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0
Net income	18,785	24,135
Other comprehensive income (loss)	5,838	8,419
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	24,623	32,554
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	(51,566)	(38,016)
Cost of goods sold	(50,978)	(38,182)
Gross margin	(588)	166
Distribution, selling and administrative expenses	0	0
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	0	0
Other operating income, net	0	0
Operating earnings	(588)	166
Interest expense (income), net	0	0
Income before income taxes	(588)	166
Income tax (benefit) provision	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(25,789)	(31,509)
Net income	(26,377)	(31,343)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(5,838)	(8,419)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	(32,215)	(39,762)
Owens & Minor, Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0
Gross margin	0	0
Distribution, selling and administrative expenses	156	534
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	0	0
Other operating income, net	0	0
Operating earnings	(156)	(534)
Interest expense (income), net	6,848	6,840
Income before income taxes	(7,004)	(7,374)
Income tax (benefit) provision	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	25,789	31,509
Net income	18,785	24,135
Other comprehensive income (loss)	5,838	8,419
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	24,623	32,554
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	2,193,285	2,321,708
Cost of goods sold	1,990,186	2,105,264
Gross margin	203,099	216,444
Distribution, selling and administrative expenses	161,235	169,310
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	7,799	8,402
Other operating income, net	(374)	(1,384)
Operating earnings	34,439	40,116
Interest expense (income), net	(790)	(629)
Income before income taxes	35,229	40,745
Income tax (benefit) provision	8,013	11,547
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0
Net income	27,216	29,198
Other comprehensive income (loss)	346	257
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	27,562	29,455
Non-guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	186,854	172,101
Cost of goods sold	108,185	92,075
Gross margin	78,669	80,026
Distribution, selling and administrative expenses	76,302	72,881
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	1,143	2,081
Other operating income, net	(598)	(158)
Operating earnings	1,822	5,222
Interest expense (income), net	686	579
Income before income taxes	1,136	4,643
Income tax (benefit) provision	1,975	2,498
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0
Net income	(839)	2,145
Other comprehensive income (loss)	5,492	8,162
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	$ 4,653	$ 10,307