Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Income) (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	$ 9,440,182	$ 9,071,532	$ 8,868,324
Cost of goods sold	8,270,216	7,954,457	7,943,670
Gross margin	1,169,966	1,117,075	924,654
Selling, general and administrative expenses	926,977	863,656	682,595
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	42,801	12,444	10,164
Depreciation and amortization	57,125	50,586	39,604
Other operating (income) expense, net	(16,473)	(7,694)	(4,462)
Operating earnings	159,536	198,083	196,753
Loss on early retirement of debt	14,890	0	0
Interest expense (income), net	18,163	13,098	13,397
Income before income taxes	126,483	184,985	183,356
Income tax (benefit) provision	59,980	74,103	74,353
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	66,503	110,882	109,003
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(33,569)	9,974	7,088
Comprehensive income	32,934	120,856	116,091
Owens & Minor, Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0
Gross margin	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	952	2,559	1,573
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	2	14	1
Other operating (income) expense, net	0	0	0
Operating earnings	(954)	(2,573)	(1,574)
Loss on early retirement of debt	14,890
Interest expense (income), net	15,737	11,103	16,677
Income before income taxes	(31,581)	(13,676)	(18,251)
Income tax (benefit) provision	(1,700)	(5,474)	(7,121)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	96,384	119,084	120,133
Net income (loss)	66,503	110,882	109,003
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(33,569)	9,974	7,088
Comprehensive income	32,934	120,856	116,091
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	8,910,274	8,687,131	8,731,484
Cost of goods sold	8,051,350	7,826,768	7,885,030
Gross margin	858,924	860,363	846,454
Selling, general and administrative expenses	623,871	613,394	599,046
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	15,065	8,130	(366)
Depreciation and amortization	35,582	35,712	34,944
Other operating (income) expense, net	(10,261)	(4,290)	(3,015)
Operating earnings	194,667	207,417	215,845
Loss on early retirement of debt	0
Interest expense (income), net	1,520	2,550	(3,588)
Income before income taxes	193,147	204,867	219,433
Income tax (benefit) provision	65,983	81,011	85,157
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	127,164	123,856	134,276
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(3,846)	3,838	(2,611)
Comprehensive income	123,318	127,694	131,665
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	626,044	435,035	165,188
Cost of goods sold	311,947	177,541	86,307
Gross margin	314,097	257,494	78,881
Selling, general and administrative expenses	302,154	247,703	81,976
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	27,736	4,314	10,530
Depreciation and amortization	21,541	14,860	4,659
Other operating (income) expense, net	(6,212)	(3,404)	(1,447)
Operating earnings	(31,122)	(5,979)	(16,837)
Loss on early retirement of debt	0
Interest expense (income), net	906	(555)	308
Income before income taxes	(32,028)	(5,424)	(17,145)
Income tax (benefit) provision	(4,303)	(1,434)	(3,683)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(27,725)	(3,990)	(13,462)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(29,539)	6,143	9,749
Comprehensive income	(57,264)	2,153	(3,713)
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	(96,136)	(50,634)	(28,348)
Cost of goods sold	(93,081)	(49,852)	(27,667)
Gross margin	(3,055)	(782)	(681)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0
Other operating (income) expense, net	0	0	0
Operating earnings	(3,055)	(782)	(681)
Loss on early retirement of debt	0
Interest expense (income), net	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	(3,055)	(782)	(681)
Income tax (benefit) provision	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(96,384)	(119,084)	(120,133)
Net income (loss)	(99,439)	(119,866)	(120,814)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	33,385	(9,981)	(7,138)
Comprehensive income	$ (66,054)	$ (129,847)	$ (127,952)