Supplemental Data - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Income (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	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, including refinancing charges			(359,135)
Other income	4,007	3,396	10,583	12,180
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 attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ (136,796)	$ (214,476)	309,166	$ 360,222
Physician Groups
Condensed Income Statements Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues			0
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts			0
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues			0
Other revenues			0
Total revenues			0
Operating expenses			0
Operating income			0
Debt expense, including refinancing charges			0
Other income			0
Income tax expense			0
Net income from continuing operations			0
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax			20,773
Net income (loss)			20,773
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests			(6,961)
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.			13,812
Unrestricted Subsidiaries
Condensed Income Statements Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues			0
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts			0
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues			0
Other revenues			0
Total revenues			0
Operating expenses			0
Operating income			0
Debt expense, including refinancing charges			0
Other income			0
Income tax expense			0
Net income from continuing operations			0
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax			298
Net income (loss)			298
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests			0
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.			298
Company and Restricted Subsidiaries
Condensed Income Statements Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues			7,980,178
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts			(35,838)
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues			7,944,340
Other revenues			639,387
Total revenues			8,583,727
Operating expenses			7,445,811
Operating income			1,137,916
Debt expense, including refinancing charges			(359,135)
Other income			10,583
Income tax expense			206,652
Net income from continuing operations			582,712
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax			(168,900)
Net income (loss)			413,812
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests			(118,756)
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.			$ 295,056