Changes in DaVita Inc.'s ownership interest in consolidated subsidiaries - Effects of Changes in DaVita Inc's Ownership Interest on Company's Equity (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Change Due to Net Income Attributable to Parent and Effects of Changes, Net [Abstract]
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 239,593	$ 149,289
Changes in paid-in capital for:
Purchases of noncontrolling interests	(445)	(2,206)
Net transfers to noncontrolling interests	(445)	(2,206)
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc., net of transfers to noncontrolling interests	$ 239,148	$ 147,083

This element represents the total net income attributable to the parent for the period and the effect of net changes during the period impacting the parent's ownership interest in a subsidiary as it relates to the total (consolidated) equity attributable to the parent. The changes to the parent's ownership interest in a subsidiary represented by this element did not result in a deconsolidation of the subsidiary from the consolidated financial statements.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 4M
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116874947&loc=SL4591554-111686

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109239629&loc=SL4573702-111684

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration