Percentage change in discount rate used to evaluate fair value of reporting unit for goodwill assessment

No definition available.

Name:	dva_PercentageChangeInDiscountRateUsedToEvaluateFairValueOfReportingUnitForGoodwillAssessment
Namespace Prefix:	dva_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage change in operating income used to evaluate fair value of reporting unit for goodwill assessment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dva_PercentageChangeInOperatingIncomeUsedToEvaluateFairValueOfReportingUnitForGoodwillAssessment
Namespace Prefix:	dva_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Goodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description of a change in the estimated amount of a goodwill impairment charge, including the facts and circumstances, including a change in assumptions, underlying the change in estimate.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13854-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 35

-Paragraph 19

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35740277&loc=d3e12323-109265

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedChangeInEstimateDescription
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of loss from the write-down of an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13854-109267

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13777-109266

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (e)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of reporting units tested for impairment of goodwill. A reporting unit is an operating segment or one level below an operating segment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Reporting Unit

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6523643

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfReportingUnits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of fair value of reporting unit in excess of carrying amount.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReportingUnitPercentageOfFairValueInExcessOfCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Goodwill - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	$ 9,415,295us-gaap_Goodwill	$ 9,212,974us-gaap_Goodwill	$ 8,952,750us-gaap_Goodwill
Goodwill impairment charge description	For example, a sustained, long-term reduction of 3% in operating income for HCP California, HCP Nevada and HCP New Mexico could reduce their estimated fair values by up to 2.5%, 2.8% and 3.0%, respectively. Separately, an increase in their respective discount rates of 100 basis points could reduce the estimated fair values of HCP California, HCP Nevada and HCP New Mexico by up to 5.3%, 5.9% and 6.3%, respectively.
Pre-tax goodwill impairment charge	0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss	0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
HealthCare Partners (HCP)
Goodwill [Line Items]
Number of reporting units	3
Goodwill	3,562,534	3,516,162	3,506,571
HealthCare Partners (HCP) \| Long-term Reduction of 3% Percent Operating Income
Goodwill [Line Items]
Decrease in operating income percentage used for assessment of fair values	3.00%
HealthCare Partners (HCP) \| Increase In Discount Rates By 100 Basis Points
Goodwill [Line Items]
Increase in discount rates used for assessment of fair values	1.00%
HealthCare Partners (HCP) \| California
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	2,511,477
Percentage of Fair value in excess of carrying amount	5.60%
HealthCare Partners (HCP) \| California \| Long-term Reduction of 3% Percent Operating Income
Goodwill [Line Items]
Percentage of Fair value in excess of carrying amount	(2.50%)
HealthCare Partners (HCP) \| California \| Increase In Discount Rates By 100 Basis Points
Goodwill [Line Items]
Percentage of Fair value in excess of carrying amount	(5.30%)
HealthCare Partners (HCP) \| Nevada
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	517,618
Percentage of Fair value in excess of carrying amount	12.40%
HealthCare Partners (HCP) \| Nevada \| Long-term Reduction of 3% Percent Operating Income
Goodwill [Line Items]
Percentage of Fair value in excess of carrying amount	(2.80%)
HealthCare Partners (HCP) \| Nevada \| Increase In Discount Rates By 100 Basis Points
Goodwill [Line Items]
Percentage of Fair value in excess of carrying amount	(5.90%)
HealthCare Partners (HCP) \| New Mexico
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	$ 72,130
Percentage of Fair value in excess of carrying amount	9.70%
HealthCare Partners (HCP) \| New Mexico \| Long-term Reduction of 3% Percent Operating Income
Goodwill [Line Items]
Percentage of Fair value in excess of carrying amount	(3.00%)
HealthCare Partners (HCP) \| New Mexico \| Increase In Discount Rates By 100 Basis Points
Goodwill [Line Items]
Percentage of Fair value in excess of carrying amount	(6.30%)