CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY (unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Total	Total Restricted Stock Units	Total Stock Appreciation Rights	Non- controlling interests subject to put provisions	Common stock	Common stock Restricted Stock Units	Common stock Stock Appreciation Rights	Additional paid-in capital	Additional paid-in capital Restricted Stock Units	Additional paid-in capital Stock Appreciation Rights	Retained earnings	Treasury stock	Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	Non- controlling interests not subject to put provisions
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle		$ 0										$ 8,368		$ (8,368)
Temporary equity, start balance at Dec. 31, 2017					$ 1,011,360
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income					24,107
Distributions					(26,166)
Contributions					9,508
Acquisitions and divestitures					688
Fair value remeasurements					15,004
Temporary equity, ending balance at Mar. 31, 2018					1,034,501
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2017		4,690,029				$ 182			$ 1,042,899			3,633,713	$ 0	13,235	$ 196,037
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017						182,462,000							0
Comprehensive income:
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 178,686	178,686										178,686			22,436
Other comprehensive income (loss)	22,468	22,468												22,468
Stock unit shares issued (in shares)							4,000	195,000
Stock-settled SAR shares issued			$ 0	$ (4,886)				$ (1)			$ (4,887)
Stock-settled stock-based compensation expense		9,682							9,682
Changes in noncontrolling interest from:
Distributions															(19,301)
Contributions															2,501
Acquisitions and divestitures		76							76
Acquisitions and divestitures, non-controlling interest															(66)
Partial purchases		(1,994)							(1,994)						(206)
Fair value remeasurements		(15,004)							(15,004)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)													(4,197,000)
Purchase of treasury stock		(298,377)											$ (298,377)
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2018		4,580,680				$ 183			1,030,772			3,820,767	$ (298,377)	27,335	201,401
Ending balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2018						182,661,000							(4,197,000)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle		39,876			(38)							39,876			(6)
Temporary equity, start balance at Dec. 31, 2018					1,124,641
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income					25,389
Distributions					(27,565)
Contributions					6,415
Acquisitions and divestitures					1,762
Partial purchases					(1,967)
Fair value remeasurements					14,407
Temporary equity, ending balance at Mar. 31, 2019					$ 1,143,044
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 3,908,398	3,703,442				$ 166			995,006			2,743,194	$ 0	(34,924)	204,956
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	166,387,307					166,387,000							0
Comprehensive income:
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 149,289	149,289										149,289			14,809
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(12,627)	(12,627)												(12,627)
Stock unit shares issued (in shares)							9,000	0
Stock-settled SAR shares issued			$ (104)	$ 0						$ (104)
Stock-settled stock-based compensation expense		12,091							12,091
Changes in noncontrolling interest from:
Distributions															(16,665)
Contributions															12,532
Acquisitions and divestitures		0							0
Acquisitions and divestitures, non-controlling interest															0
Partial purchases		(2,206)							(2,206)						(4,307)
Fair value remeasurements		(14,407)							(14,407)
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2019	$ 4,086,673	$ 3,875,354				$ 166			$ 990,380			$ 2,932,359	$ 0	$ (47,551)	$ 211,319
Ending balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019	166,396,147					166,396,000							0