v2.4.1.9

Acquisitions and Discontinued Operations - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 12, 2012	Apr. 03, 2013	Nov. 01, 2012
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amortizable intangible assets acquired, weighted-average estimated useful lives	10 years	14 years	17 years
Goodwill deductible for tax purposes associated with acquisitions	$ 175,247us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationGoodwillExpectedTaxDeductibleAmount	$ 221,454us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationGoodwillExpectedTaxDeductibleAmount	$ 491,457us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationGoodwillExpectedTaxDeductibleAmount
Contingent earn-out obligation adjustment		(56,977)us-gaap_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationArrangementsChangeInAmountOfContingentConsiderationLiability1
Additional cash consideration in the form of earn-out payments	15,614us-gaap_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationLiability	6,577us-gaap_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationLiability
Proceeds from sale of discontinued operations		62,258us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses	3,559us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses
Gain recorded on account of divestitures		13,375us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationNetOfTax
Other Accrued Liabilities
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of contingent earn-out consideration	15,614us-gaap_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationArrangementsRangeOfOutcomesValueHigh / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = dva_OtherAccruedLiabilitiesMember
Other long-term liabilities
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of contingent earn-out consideration	23,515us-gaap_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationArrangementsRangeOfOutcomesValueHigh / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember
Other companies
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Additional cash consideration in the form of earn-out payments	134,321us-gaap_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationLiability / us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis = dva_OtherCompaniesMember
Fair value of contingent earn-out consideration	39,129us-gaap_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationArrangementsRangeOfOutcomesValueHigh / us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis = dva_OtherCompaniesMember
Other companies | EBITDA performance targets and quality margins
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Earn out consideration payment period	2 years
Other companies | Operating income targets
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Earn out consideration payment period	3 years
Customer relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amortizable intangible assets acquired, weighted-average estimated useful lives	10 years	17 years	18 years
Noncompetition agreements
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amortizable intangible assets acquired, weighted-average estimated useful lives	8 years	9 years	8 years
HomeChoice Partners
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of discontinued operations				70,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses / dei_LegalEntityAxis = dva_HomeChoicePartnersMember
Performance amounts thresholds measurement period				2 years
Contingent receivable	0dva_ContingentReceivableFromSaleOfDiscontinuedOperation / dei_LegalEntityAxis = dva_HomeChoicePartnersMember
Gain recorded on account of divestitures		13,375us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationNetOfTax / dei_LegalEntityAxis = dva_HomeChoicePartnersMember
HomeChoice Partners | Maximum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Deferred purchase price obligations	9,000dva_PotentialProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses / dei_LegalEntityAxis = dva_HomeChoicePartnersMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember
Additional consideration if certain performance amounts exceed certain thresholds over the next two years				20,000dva_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsContingentConsiderationPotentialCashProceeds / dei_LegalEntityAxis = dva_HomeChoicePartnersMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember
Approximate percentage of sale proceeds received.				90.00%dva_ApproximatePercentageOfSaleProceedsReceived / dei_LegalEntityAxis = dva_HomeChoicePartnersMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember
Other dialysis acquisitions
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash paid to acquire business	272,094us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember	310,394us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember	648,318us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
Other dialysis acquisitions | U.S. dialysis and related lab services
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of businesses acquired	18us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_USDialysisAndRelatedLabServicesMember	26us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_USDialysisAndRelatedLabServicesMember	93us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_USDialysisAndRelatedLabServicesMember
Other dialysis acquisitions | Foreign Dialysis And Other Medical Businesses
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of businesses acquired	7us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_ForeignDialysisAndOtherMedicalBusinessesMember	38us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_ForeignDialysisAndOtherMedicalBusinessesMember	13us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_ForeignDialysisAndOtherMedicalBusinessesMember
Other dialysis acquisitions | HomeChoice Partners | Maximum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Deferred purchase price obligations	23,781dva_PotentialProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember / dei_LegalEntityAxis = dva_HomeChoicePartnersMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember	24,683dva_PotentialProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember / dei_LegalEntityAxis = dva_HomeChoicePartnersMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember	6,101dva_PotentialProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember / dei_LegalEntityAxis = dva_HomeChoicePartnersMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember
HealthCare Partners (HCP)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash paid to acquire business						3,645,759us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
Amortizable intangible assets acquired, weighted-average estimated useful lives						17 years 2 months 12 days
Goodwill deductible for tax purposes associated with acquisitions						2,426,986us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationGoodwillExpectedTaxDeductibleAmount / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
Total consideration paid						4,701,231us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1 / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
Common stock share issued to acquire business						18,760,624us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionEquityInterestsIssuedOrIssuableNumberOfSharesIssued / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
Approximate value of common stock share issued						1,055,472us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueAcquisitions / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
Cash paid for post-closing working capital adjustment		5,251us-gaap_PaymentsForPreviousAcquisition / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
Additional cash consideration in the form of earn-out payments						275,000dva_BusinessAcquisitionsAdditionalPotentialEarnOutCashPayments / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
Amortizable intangible assets						1,882,818us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
Goodwill deductible period for tax purpose	14 years
Contingent consideration payment	68,750dva_BusinessAcquisitionContingentConsiderationCashPaid / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember				136,954dva_BusinessAcquisitionContingentConsiderationCashPaid / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
Contingent earn-out obligation adjustment	56,977us-gaap_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationArrangementsChangeInAmountOfContingentConsiderationLiability1 / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
HealthCare Partners (HCP) | Customer relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amortizable intangible assets acquired, weighted-average estimated useful lives						20 years
Amortizable intangible assets						1,453,410us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
HealthCare Partners (HCP) | Noncompetition agreements
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amortizable intangible assets acquired, weighted-average estimated useful lives						5 years 8 months 12 days
Amortizable intangible assets						74,650us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember
HealthCare Partners (HCP) | Trade names
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amortizable intangible assets acquired, weighted-average estimated useful lives						10 years 7 months 6 days
Amortizable intangible assets						170,494us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_TradeNamesMember
HealthCare Partners (HCP) | Provider network and practice management tools
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amortizable intangible assets acquired, weighted-average estimated useful lives						7 years
Amortizable intangible assets						$ 184,264us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_ComputerSoftwareIntangibleAssetMember

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