Segment Data - Revenues by Geographic Areas (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 3,855	$ 4,350	$ 12,333	$ 12,706
Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	2,122	2,311	6,362	6,626
Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	951	1,058	3,187	3,166
Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	782	981	2,784	2,914
United States
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	2,119	2,440	6,964	7,168
United States | IVFluids
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		3		7
United States | InterventionalSpecialties,BrachytherapyandFeedingProducts
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		33		96
United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	1,161	1,299	3,566	3,750
United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	436	475	1,496	1,430
United States | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	522	666	1,903	1,989
International
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	1,735	1,910	5,369	5,538
International | InterventionalSpecialties,BrachytherapyandFeedingProducts
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		13		41
International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	960	1,011	2,797	2,877
International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	515	583	1,691	1,736
International | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	260	316	881	925
Medication Delivery Solutions | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	781	981	2,634	2,865
Medication Delivery Solutions | United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	412	521	1,450	1,521
Medication Delivery Solutions | International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	369	460	1,183	1,344
Medication Management Solutions | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	677	661	1,820	1,903
Medication Management Solutions | United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	500	532	1,412	1,538
Medication Management Solutions | International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	177	129	408	365
Diabetes Care | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	260	275	806	819
Diabetes Care | United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	136	139	417	421
Diabetes Care | International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	123	136	389	397
Pharmaceutical Systems | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	403	394	1,102	1,040
Pharmaceutical Systems | United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	113	108	287	269
Pharmaceutical Systems | International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	291	286	815	771
Preanalytical Systems | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	312	407	1,110	1,165
Preanalytical Systems | United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	160	203	569	574
Preanalytical Systems | International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	152	204	541	591
Diagnostic Systems | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	402	368	1,238	1,138
Diagnostic Systems | United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	184	155	574	510
Diagnostic Systems | International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	218	212	663	628
Integrated Diagnostic Solutions | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	714	774	2,347	2,303
Integrated Diagnostic Solutions | United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	344	358	1,143	1,084
Integrated Diagnostic Solutions | International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	370	416	1,204	1,219
Biosciences | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	237	284	840	862
Biosciences | United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	93	117	353	345
Biosciences | International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	145	167	487	517
Surgery | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	197	309	835	927
Surgery | United States | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	154	242	659	730
Surgery | International | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	43	67	176	197
Peripheral Intervention | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	318	396	1,112	1,165
Peripheral Intervention | United States | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	174	228	641	675
Peripheral Intervention | International | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	143	169	471	490
Urology and Critical Care | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	268	276	837	821
Urology and Critical Care | United States | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	194	196	603	583
Urology and Critical Care | International | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 74	$ 80	$ 235	$ 238