Condensed consolidating financial statements - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Condensed Income Statements Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	$ 2,670,701	$ 2,561,543	$ 7,980,178	$ 7,478,938
Less: 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	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 tax expense	52,047	90,546	206,652	474,126
Equity (loss) earnings in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
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
Consolidating adjustments
Condensed Income Statements Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	(53,931)	(63,918)	(151,234)	(140,690)
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts	0	6,135	0	6,135
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	(53,931)	(57,783)	(151,234)	(134,555)
Other revenues	(248,337)	(180,102)	(731,734)	(608,022)
Total revenues	(302,268)	(237,885)	(882,968)	(742,577)
Operating expenses and charges	(302,268)	(237,885)	(882,968)	(742,577)
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Debt expense	62,249	60,786	185,398	178,308
Other income, net	(110,462)	(107,614)	(328,834)	(315,221)
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Equity (loss) earnings in subsidiaries	74,799	160,813	(561,504)	(577,761)
Net income from continuing operations	26,586	113,985	(704,940)	(714,674)
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	48,213	46,828	143,436	136,913
Net income (loss)	74,799	160,813	(561,504)	(577,761)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(40,128)	(42,442)	(125,717)	(129,654)
Net income (loss) attributable to DaVita Inc.	34,671	118,371	(687,221)	(707,415)
DaVita Inc. | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	0	0	0	0
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts	0	0	0	0
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	0	0	0	0
Other revenues	207,968	189,275	608,850	604,246
Total revenues	207,968	189,275	608,850	604,246
Operating expenses and charges	205,324	128,488	484,329	398,502
Operating income	2,644	60,787	124,521	205,744
Debt expense	(127,353)	(108,453)	(362,501)	(317,276)
Other income, net	106,148	104,250	315,573	306,886
Income tax expense	(3,536)	21,199	24,108	75,680
Equity (loss) earnings in subsidiaries	(121,771)	(249,861)	255,681	240,548
Net income from continuing operations	(136,796)	(214,476)	309,166	360,222
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(136,796)	(214,476)	309,166	360,222
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to DaVita Inc.	(136,796)	(214,476)	309,166	360,222
Guarantor subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	1,810,009	1,710,708	5,431,742	4,895,864
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts	(8,899)	(82,807)	(26,430)	(216,705)
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	1,801,110	1,627,901	5,405,312	4,679,159
Other revenues	192,467	302,193	611,693	913,130
Total revenues	1,993,577	1,930,094	6,017,005	5,592,289
Operating expenses and charges	1,817,851	1,718,444	5,459,322	4,609,747
Operating income	175,726	211,650	557,683	982,542
Debt expense	(52,011)	(48,622)	(156,571)	(144,382)
Other income, net	2,339	819	7,718	4,991
Income tax expense	47,977	82,780	136,939	389,945
Equity (loss) earnings in subsidiaries	46,972	89,048	305,823	337,213
Net income from continuing operations	125,049	170,115	577,714	790,419
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	(246,820)	(419,976)	(322,033)	(549,871)
Net income (loss)	(121,771)	(249,861)	255,681	240,548
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to DaVita Inc.	(121,771)	(249,861)	255,681	240,548
Non- Guarantor subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	914,623	914,753	2,699,670	2,723,764
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts	(3,078)	(42,649)	(9,408)	(125,409)
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	911,545	872,104	2,690,262	2,598,355
Other revenues	36,508	11,483	150,578	43,408
Total revenues	948,053	883,587	2,840,840	2,641,763
Operating expenses and charges	837,385	760,730	2,385,128	2,167,631
Operating income	110,668	122,857	455,712	474,132
Debt expense	(8,812)	(13,017)	(25,461)	(38,287)
Other income, net	5,982	5,941	16,126	15,524
Income tax expense	7,606	(13,433)	45,605	8,501
Equity (loss) earnings in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income from continuing operations	100,232	129,214	400,772	442,868
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	(13,132)	2,276	30,768	23,999
Net income (loss)	87,100	131,490	431,540	466,867
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 87,100	$ 131,490	$ 431,540	$ 466,867