v2.4.1.9
Goodwill - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Apr. 06, 2015
Goodwill [Line Items]        
Goodwill $ 9,431,390us-gaap_Goodwill $ 9,415,295us-gaap_Goodwill $ 9,212,974us-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 2.8%, 2.9% and 3.1%, 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 6.1%, 5.6% and 6.3%, respectively.      
Pre-tax goodwill impairment charge 0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss      
HealthCare Partners (HCP)        
Goodwill [Line Items]        
Number of reporting units 3us-gaap_NumberOfReportingUnits
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
     
Goodwill 3,586,573us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
3,562,534us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
3,516,162us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
 
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%dva_PercentageChangeInOperatingIncomeUsedToEvaluateFairValueOfReportingUnitForGoodwillAssessment
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= dva_ReductionOf3PercentInOperatingIncomeMember
     
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%dva_PercentageChangeInDiscountRateUsedToEvaluateFairValueOfReportingUnitForGoodwillAssessment
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= dva_IncreaseInDiscountRatesBy100BasisPointsMember
     
HealthCare Partners (HCP) | California        
Goodwill [Line Items]        
Goodwill 2,517,697us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_CA
     
HealthCare Partners (HCP) | California | Long-term Reduction of 3% Percent Operating Income        
Goodwill [Line Items]        
Percentage of Fair value in excess of carrying amount (2.80%)us-gaap_ReportingUnitPercentageOfFairValueInExcessOfCarryingAmount
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_CA
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= dva_ReductionOf3PercentInOperatingIncomeMember
     
HealthCare Partners (HCP) | California | Increase In Discount Rates By 100 Basis Points        
Goodwill [Line Items]        
Percentage of Fair value in excess of carrying amount (6.10%)us-gaap_ReportingUnitPercentageOfFairValueInExcessOfCarryingAmount
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_CA
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= dva_IncreaseInDiscountRatesBy100BasisPointsMember
     
HealthCare Partners (HCP) | California | Subsequent Event        
Goodwill [Line Items]        
Percentage of Fair value in excess of carrying amount       15.00%us-gaap_ReportingUnitPercentageOfFairValueInExcessOfCarryingAmount
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_CA
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
HealthCare Partners (HCP) | Nevada        
Goodwill [Line Items]        
Goodwill 517,618us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_NV
     
HealthCare Partners (HCP) | Nevada | Long-term Reduction of 3% Percent Operating Income        
Goodwill [Line Items]        
Percentage of Fair value in excess of carrying amount (2.90%)us-gaap_ReportingUnitPercentageOfFairValueInExcessOfCarryingAmount
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_NV
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= dva_ReductionOf3PercentInOperatingIncomeMember
     
HealthCare Partners (HCP) | Nevada | Increase In Discount Rates By 100 Basis Points        
Goodwill [Line Items]        
Percentage of Fair value in excess of carrying amount (5.60%)us-gaap_ReportingUnitPercentageOfFairValueInExcessOfCarryingAmount
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_NV
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= dva_IncreaseInDiscountRatesBy100BasisPointsMember
     
HealthCare Partners (HCP) | Nevada | Subsequent Event        
Goodwill [Line Items]        
Percentage of Fair value in excess of carrying amount       6.30%us-gaap_ReportingUnitPercentageOfFairValueInExcessOfCarryingAmount
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_NV
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
HealthCare Partners (HCP) | New Mexico        
Goodwill [Line Items]        
Goodwill $ 72,130us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_NM
     
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 (3.10%)us-gaap_ReportingUnitPercentageOfFairValueInExcessOfCarryingAmount
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_NM
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= dva_ReductionOf3PercentInOperatingIncomeMember
     
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%)us-gaap_ReportingUnitPercentageOfFairValueInExcessOfCarryingAmount
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_NM
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= dva_IncreaseInDiscountRatesBy100BasisPointsMember
     
HealthCare Partners (HCP) | New Mexico | Subsequent Event        
Goodwill [Line Items]        
Percentage of Fair value in excess of carrying amount       13.60%us-gaap_ReportingUnitPercentageOfFairValueInExcessOfCarryingAmount
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= dva_HealthcarePartnersMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_NM
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember