CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	$ 2,670,701	$ 2,561,543	$ 7,980,178	$ 7,478,938
Provision for uncollectible accounts	(11,977)	(119,321)	(35,838)	(335,979)
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	2,658,724	2,442,222	7,944,340	7,142,959
Other revenues	188,606	322,849	639,387	952,762
Total revenues	2,847,330	2,765,071	8,583,727	8,095,721
Operating expenses and charges:
Patient care costs and other costs	2,063,770	1,951,609	6,168,444	5,698,318
General and administrative	336,299	272,911	866,922	798,602
Depreciation and amortization	146,000	142,634	435,878	415,544
Equity investment loss (income)	3,824	5,308	(6,126)	5,456
Provision for uncollectible accounts	800	(2,685)	(7,300)	(1,381)
Investment and other asset impairments	6,093	0	17,338	15,168
Goodwill impairment charges	0	0	3,106	34,696
Loss (gain) on changes in ownership interests, net	1,506	0	(32,451)	(6,273)
Gain on settlement, net	0	0	0	(526,827)
Total operating expenses and charges	2,558,292	2,369,777	7,445,811	6,433,303
Operating income	289,038	395,294	1,137,916	1,662,418
Debt expense	(125,927)	(109,306)	(359,135)	(321,637)
Other income, net	4,007	3,396	10,583	12,180
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	167,118	289,384	789,364	1,352,961
Income tax expense	52,047	90,546	206,652	474,126
Net income from continuing operations	115,071	198,838	582,712	878,835
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	(211,739)	(370,872)	(147,829)	(388,959)
Net income (loss)	(96,668)	(172,034)	434,883	489,876
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(40,128)	(42,442)	(125,717)	(129,654)
Net income (loss) attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ (136,796)	$ (214,476)	$ 309,166	$ 360,222
Earnings per share:
Basic net income from continuing operations per share attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 0.44	$ 0.81	$ 2.69	$ 3.91
Basic net income (loss) per share attributable to DaVita Inc.	(0.82)	(1.14)	1.79	1.89
Diluted net income from continuing operations per share attributable to DaVita Inc.	0.44	0.80	2.66	3.85
Diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ (0.82)	$ (1.12)	$ 1.77	$ 1.86
Weighted average shares for earnings per share:
Basic (in shares)	166,771	188,884	172,404	190,770
Diluted (in shares)	167,262	191,408	174,348	193,546
Net income from continuing operations	$ 73,371	$ 152,870	$ 463,989	$ 745,067
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations	(210,167)	(367,346)	(154,823)	(384,845)
Net income (loss) attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ (136,796)	$ (214,476)	$ 309,166	$ 360,222