Supplemental Data - Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 1,472,232	$ 913,187	$ 1,041,427	$ 1,499,116
Accounts receivable, net		1,900,561	1,917,302
Other current assets		1,231,107	1,149,739
Total current assets		4,603,900	3,980,228
Property and equipment, net		3,171,199	3,175,367
Amortizable intangibles, net		1,487,029	1,527,767
Other long-term assets		673,666	650,578
Goodwill		9,452,470	9,407,317		$ 9,294,479
Total assets		19,388,264	18,741,257
Current liabilities		2,813,577	2,696,445
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities		10,254,248	10,221,813
Noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions		979,848	973,258
Total DaVita Inc. shareholders’ equity		5,139,929	4,648,047
Noncontrolling interests not subject to put provisions		200,662	201,694
Shareholders’ equity		5,340,591	4,849,741
Total liabilities and shareholder’s equity		19,388,264	18,741,257
Physician Groups
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents		99,086	104,691
Accounts receivable, net		202,006
Other current assets		14,819
Total current assets		315,911
Property and equipment, net		1,268
Amortizable intangibles, net		4,576
Other long-term assets		81,419
Goodwill		16,796
Total assets		419,970
Current liabilities		204,998
Payables to parent		61,723
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities		45,226
Total DaVita Inc. shareholders’ equity		108,023
Shareholders’ equity		108,023
Total liabilities and shareholder’s equity		419,970
Unrestricted Subsidiaries
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements Captions [Line Items]
Other long-term assets		2,880
Total assets		2,880
Payables to parent		2,880
Total liabilities and shareholder’s equity		2,880
Company and Restricted Subsidiaries
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	[1]	1,373,146	$ 808,496
Accounts receivable, net	[1]	1,698,555
Other current assets	[1]	1,216,288
Total current assets	[1]	4,287,989
Property and equipment, net	[1]	3,169,931
Amortizable intangibles, net	[1]	1,482,453
Other long-term assets	[1]	589,367
Goodwill	[1]	9,435,674
Total assets	[1]	18,965,414
Current liabilities	[1]	2,608,579
Payables to parent	[1]	(64,603)
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	[1]	10,209,022
Noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions	[1]	979,848
Total DaVita Inc. shareholders’ equity	[1]	5,031,906
Noncontrolling interests not subject to put provisions	[1]	200,662
Shareholders’ equity	[1]	5,232,568
Total liabilities and shareholder’s equity	[1]	$ 18,965,414

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