Condensed consolidating financial statements - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Condensed Income Statements Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	$ 2,781,169	$ 2,670,701	$ 8,150,386	$ 7,980,178
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts	(3,977)	(11,977)	(19,689)	(35,838)
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	2,777,192	2,658,724	8,130,697	7,944,340
Other revenues	126,886	188,606	359,198	639,387
Total revenues	2,904,078	2,847,330	8,489,895	8,583,727
Operating expenses	2,525,742	2,558,292	7,309,166	7,445,811
Operating income	378,336	289,038	1,180,729	1,137,916
Debt expense	(109,831)	(125,927)	(385,176)	(359,135)
Other income, net	5,280	4,007	17,863	10,583
Income tax (benefit) expense	65,254	52,047	197,938	206,652
Equity earnings in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income from continuing operations	208,531	115,071	615,478	582,712
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	(6,843)	(211,739)	102,854	(147,829)
Net income (loss)	201,688	(96,668)	718,332	434,883
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(58,418)	(40,128)	(152,222)	(125,717)
Net income (loss) attributable to DaVita Inc.	143,270	(136,796)	566,110	309,166
Consolidating adjustments
Condensed Income Statements Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	(67,597)	(56,956)	(195,357)	(159,365)
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts	0	0	0	0
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	(67,597)	(56,956)	(195,357)	(159,365)
Other revenues	(302,113)	(283,079)	(809,523)	(836,543)
Total revenues	(369,710)	(340,035)	(1,004,880)	(995,908)
Operating expenses	(369,710)	(340,035)	(1,004,880)	(995,908)
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Debt expense	58,622	62,250	188,944	185,399
Other income, net	(58,622)	(110,463)	(281,676)	(328,835)
Income tax (benefit) expense	0	0	0	0
Equity earnings in subsidiaries	(166,245)	61,323	(766,205)	(583,723)
Net income from continuing operations	(166,245)	13,110	(858,937)	(727,159)
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	48,213	92,732	143,436
Net income (loss)	(166,245)	61,323	(766,205)	(583,723)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(58,418)	(40,128)	(152,222)	(125,717)
Net income (loss) attributable to DaVita Inc.	(224,663)	21,195	(918,427)	(709,440)
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	204,183	207,968	600,318	608,850
Total revenues	204,183	207,968	600,318	608,850
Operating expenses	11,046	205,324	315,169	484,329
Operating income	193,137	2,644	285,149	124,521
Debt expense	(110,712)	(127,353)	(389,203)	(362,501)
Other income, net	51,150	106,148	263,407	315,573
Income tax (benefit) expense	33,364	(3,536)	41,017	24,108
Equity earnings in subsidiaries	43,059	(121,771)	447,774	255,681
Net income from continuing operations	143,270	(136,796)	566,110	309,166
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	143,270	(136,796)	566,110	309,166
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to DaVita Inc.	143,270	(136,796)	566,110	309,166
Guarantor subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	1,761,235	1,699,109	5,181,017	5,100,487
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts	(2,728)	(9,246)	(13,530)	(26,430)
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	1,758,507	1,689,863	5,167,487	5,074,057
Other revenues	140,956	127,269	438,058	355,055
Total revenues	1,899,463	1,817,132	5,605,545	5,429,112
Operating expenses	1,823,752	1,649,128	5,106,307	4,949,070
Operating income	75,711	168,004	499,238	480,042
Debt expense	(43,535)	(50,254)	(145,110)	(151,373)
Other income, net	2,994	603	4,332	2,864
Income tax (benefit) expense	28,320	43,583	122,633	112,193
Equity earnings in subsidiaries	123,186	60,448	318,431	328,042
Net income from continuing operations	130,036	135,218	554,258	547,382
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	130,036	135,218	554,258	547,382
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to DaVita Inc.	130,036	135,218	554,258	547,382
Non- Guarantor subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	1,087,531	1,028,548	3,164,726	3,039,056
Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts	(1,249)	(2,731)	(6,159)	(9,408)
Net dialysis and related lab patient service revenues	1,086,282	1,025,817	3,158,567	3,029,648
Other revenues	83,860	136,448	130,345	512,025
Total revenues	1,170,142	1,162,265	3,288,912	3,541,673
Operating expenses	1,060,654	1,043,875	2,892,570	3,008,320
Operating income	109,488	118,390	396,342	533,353
Debt expense	(14,206)	(10,570)	(39,807)	(30,660)
Other income, net	9,758	7,719	31,800	20,981
Income tax (benefit) expense	3,570	12,000	34,288	70,351
Equity earnings in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income from continuing operations	101,470	103,539	354,047	453,323
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	(6,843)	(259,952)	10,122	(291,265)
Net income (loss)	94,627	(156,413)	364,169	162,058
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 94,627	$ (156,413)	$ 364,169	$ 162,058