Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Net revenues	$ 2,821,124	$ 2,847,330	$ 2,886,953	$ 2,849,444	$ 2,780,913	$ 2,765,071	$ 2,699,399	$ 2,631,251	$ 11,404,851	$ 10,876,634	$ 10,707,467
Operating income	387,908	289,038	438,192	410,686	150,337	395,294	391,196	875,928	1,525,824	1,812,755	2,029,710
Amounts attributable to DaVita Inc.:
Net income from continuing operations	160,332	73,371	199,603	191,015	156,210	152,870	151,292	440,905	624,321	901,277	1,032,373
Net loss from discontinued operations	(310,104)	(210,167)	67,673	(12,329)	147,186	(367,346)	(24,291)	6,792	(464,927)	(237,659)	(152,499)
Net (loss) income attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ (149,772)	$ (136,796)	$ 267,276	$ 178,686	$ 303,396	$ (214,476)	$ 127,001	$ 447,697	$ 159,394	$ 663,618	$ 879,874
Earnings per share attributable to DaVita Inc.:
Basic net income from continuing operations per share attributable to DaVita Inc. (in usd per share)	$ 0.97	$ 0.44	$ 1.16	$ 1.07	$ 0.86	$ 0.81	$ 0.79	$ 2.29	$ 3.66	$ 4.78	$ 5.12
Basic net loss from discontinued operations per share attributable to DaVita Inc. (in usd per share)	(1.87)	(1.26)	0.40	(0.07)	0.80	(1.95)	(0.13)	0.04	(2.73)	(1.26)	(0.76)
Basic net income per share attributable to DaVita Inc. (in usd per share)	(0.90)	(0.82)	1.56	1.00	1.66	(1.14)	0.66	2.33	0.93	3.52	4.36
Diluted net income from continuing operations per share attributable to DaVita Inc. (in usd per share)	0.96	0.44	1.15	1.05	0.85	0.80	0.78	2.26	3.62	4.71	5.04
Diluted net loss from discontinued operations per share attributable to DaVita Inc. (in usd per share)	(1.86)	(1.26)	0.38	(0.07)	0.79	(1.92)	(0.13)	0.03	(2.70)	(1.24)	(0.75)
Diluted net income per share attributable to DaVita Inc. (in usd per share)	$ (0.90)	$ (0.82)	$ 1.53	$ 0.98	$ 1.64	$ (1.12)	$ 0.65	$ 2.29	$ 0.92	$ 3.47	$ 4.29