v2.4.1.9

Investments (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | Mar. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
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Schedule Of Trading Securities And Other Trading Assets [Line Items] |  |
Certificates of deposit and money market funds due within one year | $ 420,927 dva_CertificatesOfDepositMoneyMarketFundsAndUnitedStatesGovernmentSecurities | $ 335,975 dva_CertificatesOfDepositMoneyMarketFundsAndUnitedStatesGovernmentSecurities
Investments in mutual funds and common stock | 29,068 dva_MutualFundInvestmentsAtFairValue | 28,123 dva_MutualFundInvestmentsAtFairValue
Total investment | 449,995 us-gaap_Investments | 364,098 us-gaap_Investments
Short-term investments | 422,365 us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments | 337,399 us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments
Long-term investments | 27,630 us-gaap_OtherLongTermInvestments | 26,699 us-gaap_OtherLongTermInvestments
Held to maturity |  |
Schedule Of Trading Securities And Other Trading Assets [Line Items] |  |
Certificates of deposit and money market funds due within one year | 420,927 dva_CertificatesOfDepositMoneyMarketFundsAndUnitedStatesGovernmentSecurities / us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_HeldtomaturitySecuritiesMember | 335,975 dva_CertificatesOfDepositMoneyMarketFundsAndUnitedStatesGovernmentSecurities / us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_HeldtomaturitySecuritiesMember
Total investment | 420,927 us-gaap_Investments / us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_HeldtomaturitySecuritiesMember | 335,975 us-gaap_Investments / us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_HeldtomaturitySecuritiesMember
Short-term investments | 420,927 us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments / us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_HeldtomaturitySecuritiesMember | 335,975 us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments / us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_HeldtomaturitySecuritiesMember
Available for sale |  |
Schedule Of Trading Securities And Other Trading Assets [Line Items] |  |
Investments in mutual funds and common stock | 29,068 dva_MutualFundInvestmentsAtFairValue / us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember | 28,123 dva_MutualFundInvestmentsAtFairValue / us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
Total investment | 29,068 us-gaap_Investments / us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember | 28,123 us-gaap_Investments / us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
Short-term investments | 1,438 us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments / us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember | 1,424 us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments / us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
Long-term investments | $ 27,630 us-gaap_OtherLongTermInvestments / us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember | $ 26,699 us-gaap_OtherLongTermInvestments / us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember

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- Definition This represents short term investments that are held to maturity and consist of CD's, money market funds and U.S. treasury notes. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Mutual fund investments, at fair value. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all investments. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(h)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph h -Article 7 + Details
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- Definition Other long-term investments not otherwise specified in the taxonomy, not including investments in marketable securities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 12 -Article 5 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(f)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph f -Article 7 + Details
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- Definition Investments which are intended to be sold in the short term (usually less than one year or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer) including trading securities, available-for-sale securities, held-to-maturity securities, and other short-term investments not otherwise listed in the existing taxonomy. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph g -Article 7 + Details
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