Consolidating Financial Statements - Consolidating Statements of Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues									$ 10,093,670	$ 9,727,360	$ 9,155,447
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts									(485,398)	(431,308)	(412,905)
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues									9,608,272	9,296,052	8,742,542
Other revenues									1,268,362	1,411,415	1,239,703
Total net revenues	$ 2,780,913	$ 2,765,071	$ 2,699,399	$ 2,631,251	$ 2,699,419	$ 2,725,407	$ 2,675,474	$ 2,607,167	10,876,634	10,707,467	9,982,245
Operating expenses and charges									9,063,879	8,677,757	8,845,479
Operating income	150,337	395,294	391,196	875,928	363,445	813,103	431,129	422,033	1,812,755	2,029,710	1,136,766
Debt expense									(430,634)	(414,116)	(408,380)
Debt (expense) and refinancing charges											(456,452)
Other income, net									17,665	7,511	8,073
Income tax expense									323,859	431,761	207,510
Equity earnings in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net income from continuing operations									1,075,927	1,191,344	480,877
Net loss from discontinued operations, net of tax									(245,372)	(158,262)	(53,467)
Net income									830,555	1,033,082	427,410
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(166,937)	(153,208)	(157,678)
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 303,396	$ (214,476)	$ 127,001	$ 447,697	$ 157,726	$ 571,332	$ 53,382	$ 97,434	663,618	879,874	269,732
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues									(184,106)	(153,326)	(131,164)
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts									7,170	0	0
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues									(176,936)	(153,326)	(131,164)
Other revenues									(798,212)	(765,516)	(720,804)
Total net revenues									(975,148)	(918,842)	(851,968)
Operating expenses and charges									(975,148)	(918,842)	(851,968)
Operating income									0	0	0
Debt expense									239,958	225,326
Debt (expense) and refinancing charges											203,985
Other income, net									(423,702)	(400,706)	(365,861)
Income tax expense									0	0	0
Equity earnings in subsidiaries									(552,567)	(1,360,998)	(496,979)
Net income from continuing operations									(736,311)	(1,536,378)	(658,855)
Net loss from discontinued operations, net of tax									183,744	175,380	161,876
Net income									(552,567)	(1,360,998)	(496,979)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(166,937)	(153,208)	(157,678)
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.									(719,504)	(1,514,206)	(654,657)
DaVita Inc. | Reportable Legal Entites
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues									0	0	0
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts									0	0	0
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues									0	0	0
Other revenues									793,751	767,791	727,887
Total net revenues									793,751	767,791	727,887
Operating expenses and charges									527,942	493,175	488,595
Operating income									265,809	274,616	239,292
Debt expense									(426,149)	(407,925)
Debt (expense) and refinancing charges											(449,598)
Other income, net									411,731	396,797	365,752
Income tax expense									65,965	77,334	60,671
Equity earnings in subsidiaries									478,192	693,720	174,957
Net income from continuing operations									663,618	879,874	269,732
Net loss from discontinued operations, net of tax									0	0	0
Net income									663,618	879,874	269,732
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.									663,618	879,874	269,732
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entites
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues									6,884,750	6,665,601	6,471,702
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts									(340,586)	(272,430)	(281,976)
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues									6,544,164	6,393,171	6,189,726
Other revenues									1,204,501	1,378,956	1,208,607
Total net revenues									7,748,665	7,772,127	7,398,333
Operating expenses and charges									6,475,550	6,907,469	6,925,234
Operating income									1,273,115	864,658	473,099
Debt expense									(209,612)	(191,083)
Debt (expense) and refinancing charges											(178,389)
Other income, net									11,169	3,726	1,261
Income tax expense									237,670	238,446	163,401
Equity earnings in subsidiaries									74,375	667,278	322,022
Net income from continuing operations									911,377	1,106,133	454,592
Net loss from discontinued operations, net of tax									(433,185)	(412,413)	(279,635)
Net income									478,192	693,720	174,957
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.									478,192	693,720	174,957
Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entites
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues									3,393,026	3,215,085	2,814,909
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts									(151,982)	(158,878)	(130,929)
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues									3,241,044	3,056,207	2,683,980
Other revenues									68,322	30,184	24,013
Total net revenues									3,309,366	3,086,391	2,707,993
Operating expenses and charges									3,035,535	2,195,955	2,283,618
Operating income									273,831	890,436	424,375
Debt expense									(34,831)	(40,434)
Debt (expense) and refinancing charges											(32,450)
Other income, net									18,467	7,694	6,921
Income tax expense									20,224	115,981	(16,562)
Equity earnings in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net income from continuing operations									237,243	741,715	415,408
Net loss from discontinued operations, net of tax									4,069	78,771	64,292
Net income									241,312	820,486	479,700
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.									$ 241,312	$ 820,486	$ 479,700