Supplemental Data - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Income (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Condensed Income Statements Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	$ 2,734,065	$ 2,718,403	$ 5,369,217	$ 5,309,477
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts	(10,249)	(49,406)	(15,712)	(23,861)
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	2,723,816	2,668,997	5,353,505	5,285,616
Other revenues	118,889	217,956	232,312	450,781
Total revenues	2,842,705	2,886,953	5,585,817	5,736,397
Operating expenses	2,380,819	2,448,761	4,783,424	4,887,519
Operating income	461,886	438,192	802,393	848,878
Debt expense	(143,826)	(119,692)	(275,345)	(233,208)
Other income	5,643	1,994	12,583	6,576
Income tax expense	75,938	83,868	132,684	154,605
Net income from continuing operations	247,765	236,626	406,947	467,641
Net income from discontinued operations, net of tax	79,392	69,696	109,697	63,910
Net income	327,157	306,322	516,644	531,551
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(53,606)	(39,046)	(93,804)	(85,589)
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 273,551	$ 267,276	422,840	$ 445,962
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			0
Other income			0
Income tax expense			0
Net income from continuing operations			0
Net income from discontinued operations, net of tax			12,706
Net income			12,706
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests			(1,255)
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.			11,451
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			0
Other income			0
Income tax expense			0
Net income from continuing operations			0
Net income from discontinued operations, net of tax			249
Net income			249
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests			0
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.			249
Company and Restricted Subsidiaries
Condensed Income Statements Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues			5,369,217
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts			(15,712)
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues			5,353,505
Other revenues			232,312
Total revenues			5,585,817
Operating expenses			4,783,424
Operating income			802,393
Debt expense			(275,345)
Other income			12,583
Income tax expense			132,684
Net income from continuing operations			406,947
Net income from discontinued operations, net of tax			96,742
Net income			503,689
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests			(92,549)
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.			$ 411,140