Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Income) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	$ 2,415,601	$ 2,471,669	$ 7,355,069	$ 7,285,032
Cost of goods sold	2,119,326	2,165,315	6,462,739	6,382,740
Gross margin	296,275	306,354	892,330	902,292
Distribution, selling, and administrative expenses	241,305	246,959	726,944	743,611
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	2,739	6,134	19,974	21,757
Other operating income, net	(1,337)	(311)	(5,179)	(5,484)
Operating earnings	53,568	53,572	150,591	142,408
Interest expense (income), net	6,770	6,744	20,324	20,305
Income before income taxes	46,798	46,828	130,267	122,103
Income tax (benefit) provision	16,967	18,652	48,585	50,761
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net Income	29,831	28,176	81,682	71,342
Other comprehensive income (loss)	1,701	2,233	3,263	(18,554)
Comprehensive income	31,532	30,409	84,945	52,788
Owens & Minor, Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Gross margin	0	0	0	0
Distribution, selling, and administrative expenses	(52)	27	838	696
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	0	0	0	0
Other operating income, net	0	0	0	0
Operating earnings	52	(27)	(838)	(696)
Interest expense (income), net	7,403	7,257	21,134	20,142
Income before income taxes	(7,351)	(7,284)	(21,972)	(20,838)
Income tax (benefit) provision	0	0	0	(773)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	37,182	35,460	103,654	91,407
Net Income	29,831	28,176	81,682	71,342
Other comprehensive income (loss)	1,701	2,233	3,263	(18,554)
Comprehensive income	31,532	30,409	84,945	52,788
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	2,287,335	2,321,301	6,954,983	6,850,731
Cost of goods sold	2,070,639	2,106,623	6,305,489	6,204,950
Gross margin	216,696	214,678	649,494	645,781
Distribution, selling, and administrative expenses	169,451	171,336	504,984	510,269
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	2,237	1,980	15,888	5,813
Other operating income, net	(1,205)	(28)	(3,952)	(2,360)
Operating earnings	46,213	41,390	132,574	132,059
Interest expense (income), net	(1,345)	(1,235)	(2,808)	(654)
Income before income taxes	47,558	42,625	135,382	132,713
Income tax (benefit) provision	14,131	10,927	40,237	42,683
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net Income	33,427	31,698	95,145	90,030
Other comprehensive income (loss)	299	179	821	726
Comprehensive income	33,726	31,877	95,966	90,756
Non-guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	168,216	194,659	516,131	554,862
Cost of goods sold	89,192	102,923	273,927	298,530
Gross margin	79,024	91,736	242,204	256,332
Distribution, selling, and administrative expenses	71,906	75,596	221,122	232,646
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	502	4,154	4,086	15,944
Other operating income, net	(132)	(283)	(1,227)	(3,124)
Operating earnings	6,748	12,269	18,223	10,866
Interest expense (income), net	712	722	1,998	817
Income before income taxes	6,036	11,547	16,225	10,049
Income tax (benefit) provision	2,836	7,725	8,348	8,851
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net Income	3,200	3,822	7,877	1,198
Other comprehensive income (loss)	1,402	2,054	2,442	(19,280)
Comprehensive income	4,602	5,876	10,319	(18,082)
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	(39,950)	(44,291)	(116,045)	(120,561)
Cost of goods sold	(40,505)	(44,231)	(116,677)	(120,740)
Gross margin	555	(60)	632	179
Distribution, selling, and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges		0	0	0
Other operating income, net	0	0	0	0
Operating earnings	555	(60)	632	179
Interest expense (income), net	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	555	(60)	632	179
Income tax (benefit) provision	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(37,182)	(35,460)	(103,654)	(91,407)
Net Income	(36,627)	(35,520)	(103,022)	(91,228)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(1,701)	(2,233)	(3,263)	18,554
Comprehensive income	$ (38,328)	$ (37,753)	$ (106,285)	$ (72,674)