v2.4.1.9

Effects of Changes in DaVita Inc's Ownership Interest on Company's Equity (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Net (loss) income attributable to DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc.	$ (110,617)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	$ 183,289us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Net transfers to noncontrolling interests		291us-gaap_MinorityInterestPeriodIncreaseDecrease
Net (loss) income attributable to DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., net of transfers to noncontrolling interests	(110,617)dva_NetIncomeAttributableToParentNetOfTransfersToNoncontrollingInterests	183,580dva_NetIncomeAttributableToParentNetOfTransfersToNoncontrollingInterests
Additional paid-in capital
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Increase in paid-in capital for sales of noncontrolling interests		81dva_IncreaseDecreaseInPaidInCapitalForSalesOfNoncontrollingInterests / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember
Increase in paid-in capital for the purchase of noncontrolling interests and adjustments to ownership interest		$ 210dva_MinorityInterestIncreaseDecreaseFromDistributionsReturnOfCapitalAndOtherChangesToNoncontrollingInterestHolders / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember

X

- Definition

Increase (Decrease) in Paid-In Capital for Sales of Noncontrolling Interests

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dva_IncreaseDecreaseInPaidInCapitalForSalesOfNoncontrollingInterests
Namespace Prefix:	dva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Minority interest increase decrease from distributions return of capital and other changes to noncontrolling interest holders.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dva_MinorityInterestIncreaseDecreaseFromDistributionsReturnOfCapitalAndOtherChangesToNoncontrollingInterestHolders
Namespace Prefix:	dva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Net income attributable to parent net of transfers to noncontrolling interests.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dva_NetIncomeAttributableToParentNetOfTransfersToNoncontrollingInterests
Namespace Prefix:	dva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

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

X

- Definition

Net Increase or Decrease in balance of noncontrolling interest in the subsidiary during the reporting period.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 16

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7656940&loc=SL4568740-111683

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterestPeriodIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The portion of profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, which is attributable to the parent.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-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 260

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257



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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Other Comprehensive Income

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6519514



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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Net Income

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6518256



Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.19)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913



Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.18)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688



Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.22)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913



Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 19

-Article 5



Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 20

-Article 9

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: