v2.4.1.9

Changes in Goodwill by Reportable Segments (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Goodwill [Line Items]
Beginning balance	$ 9,415,295us-gaap_Goodwill	$ 9,212,974us-gaap_Goodwill
Acquisitions	31,607us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod	221,514us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
Divestitures		(1,851)us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
Foreign currency and other adjustments	(15,512)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments	(17,342)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments
Ending balance	9,431,390us-gaap_Goodwill	9,415,295us-gaap_Goodwill
U.S. dialysis and related lab services
Goodwill [Line Items]
Beginning balance		5,469,473us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_USDialysisAndRelatedLabServicesMember
Acquisitions		143,021us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_USDialysisAndRelatedLabServicesMember
Divestitures		(1,851)us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_USDialysisAndRelatedLabServicesMember
Ending balance	5,610,643us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_USDialysisAndRelatedLabServicesMember	5,610,643us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_USDialysisAndRelatedLabServicesMember
HealthCare Partners (HCP)
Goodwill [Line Items]
Beginning balance	3,562,534us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember	3,516,162us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
Acquisitions	24,039us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember	48,649us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
Foreign currency and other adjustments		(2,277)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
Ending balance	3,586,573us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember	3,562,534us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
Other-Ancillary services and strategic initiatives
Goodwill [Line Items]
Beginning balance	242,118us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember	227,339us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember
Acquisitions	7,568us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember	29,844us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember
Foreign currency and other adjustments	(15,512)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember	(15,065)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember
Ending balance	$ 234,174us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember	$ 242,118us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember

X

- 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



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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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- Definition

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+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

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+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

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+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

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