Supplemental Data - Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 1,499,116	$ 965,241	$ 946,249	$ 533,748
Accounts receivable, net		1,724,228	1,525,849
Other current assets		1,279,936	1,145,080
Total current assets		4,503,280	3,636,170
Property and equipment, net		2,788,740	2,469,099
Amortizable intangibles, net		1,687,326	1,864,842
Other long-term assets		241,050	232,026
Goodwill		9,294,479	9,415,295	$ 9,212,974
Total assets		18,514,875	17,617,432
Current liabilities		2,399,138	2,088,651
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities		10,167,499	9,338,505
Noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions		864,066	829,965
Total DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. shareholders' equity		4,870,780	5,170,513
Noncontrolling interests not subject to put provisions		213,392	189,798
Total equity		5,084,172	5,360,311
Total liabilities and equity		18,514,875	17,617,432
Physician Groups
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents		88,245	112,448
Accounts receivable, net		357,126
Other current assets		15,714
Total current assets		461,085
Property and equipment, net		1,836
Amortizable intangibles, net		5,937
Other long-term assets		73,794
Goodwill		15,967
Total assets		558,619
Current liabilities		234,182
Payables to parent		206,429
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities		49,782
Total DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. shareholders' equity		68,226
Total equity		68,226
Total liabilities and equity		558,619
Unrestricted Subsidiaries
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements Captions [Line Items]
Other long-term assets		2,824
Total assets		2,824
Payables to parent		2,824
Total liabilities and equity		2,824
Company and Restricted Subsidiaries
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	[1]	1,410,871	$ 852,793
Accounts receivable, net		1,367,102
Other current assets		1,264,222
Total current assets		4,042,195
Property and equipment, net		2,786,904
Amortizable intangibles, net		1,681,389
Other long-term assets		164,432
Goodwill		9,278,512
Total assets		17,953,432
Current liabilities		2,164,956
Payables to parent		(209,253)
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities		10,117,717
Noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions		864,066
Total DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. shareholders' equity		4,802,554
Noncontrolling interests not subject to put provisions		213,392
Total equity		5,015,946
Total liabilities and equity		$ 17,953,432

[1] After the elimination of the unrestricted subsidiaries and the physician groups