Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 213,096		$ 161,020	$ 125,245		$ 56,772
Accounts and notes receivable, net	579,031		587,935
Merchandise inventories	944,897		940,775
Other current assets	283,753		284,970
Total current assets	2,020,777		1,974,700
Property and equipment, net	198,780		208,930
Goodwill, net	418,095		419,619
Intangible assets, net	86,982		95,250
Due from O&M and subsidiaries	0		0
Advances to and investment in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Other assets, net	69,998		75,277
Total assets	2,794,632		2,773,776
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	768,570		710,609
Accrued payroll and related liabilities	41,424		45,907
Other current liabilities	283,831		307,073
Total current liabilities	1,093,825		1,063,589
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	566,474		568,495
Due to O&M and subsidiaries	0		0
Intercompany debt	0		0
Deferred income taxes	83,553		86,326
Other liabilities	64,097		62,776
Total liabilities	1,807,949		1,781,186
Equity
Common stock	123,398		125,606
Paid-in capital	216,866		211,943
Retained earnings (deficit)	694,981		706,866
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(48,562)	$ (50,263)	(51,825)	(42,555)	$ (44,788)	(24,001)
Total equity	986,683		992,590	986,101		990,838
Total liabilities and equity	2,794,632		2,773,776
Owens & Minor, Inc.
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	156,484		103,284	82,189		22,013
Accounts and notes receivable, net	0		0
Merchandise inventories	0		0
Other current assets	73		104
Total current assets	156,557		103,388
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Goodwill, net	0		0
Intangible assets, net	0		0
Due from O&M and subsidiaries	0		0
Advances to and investment in consolidated subsidiaries	2,048,858		1,967,176
Other assets, net	0		0
Total assets	2,205,415		2,070,564
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued payroll and related liabilities	0		0
Other current liabilities	9,170		6,924
Total current liabilities	9,170		6,924
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	544,624		543,982
Due to O&M and subsidiaries	664,938		527,068
Intercompany debt	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	1,218,732		1,077,974
Equity
Common stock	123,398		125,606
Paid-in capital	216,866		211,943
Retained earnings (deficit)	694,981		706,866
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(48,562)		(51,825)
Total equity	986,683		992,590
Total liabilities and equity	2,205,415		2,070,564
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	20,001		5,614	18,768		3,912
Accounts and notes receivable, net	493,650		507,673
Merchandise inventories	886,894		883,232
Other current assets	81,341		72,683
Total current assets	1,481,886		1,469,202
Property and equipment, net	98,570		103,219
Goodwill, net	180,006		180,006
Intangible assets, net	12,174		13,731
Due from O&M and subsidiaries	671,236		518,473
Advances to and investment in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Other assets, net	52,287		57,409
Total assets	2,496,159		2,342,040
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	717,969		662,909
Accrued payroll and related liabilities	31,562		32,094
Other current liabilities	119,756		109,137
Total current liabilities	869,287		804,140
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	3,577		4,527
Due to O&M and subsidiaries	0		0
Intercompany debt	138,890		138,890
Deferred income taxes	61,704		67,562
Other liabilities	57,832		57,573
Total liabilities	1,131,290		1,072,692
Equity
Common stock	0		0
Paid-in capital	174,612		174,612
Retained earnings (deficit)	1,199,932		1,104,787
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(9,675)		(10,051)
Total equity	1,364,869		1,269,348
Total liabilities and equity	2,496,159		2,342,040
Non-guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	36,611		52,122	24,288		30,847
Accounts and notes receivable, net	95,000		89,895
Merchandise inventories	59,758		59,930
Other current assets	202,339		212,183
Total current assets	393,708		414,130
Property and equipment, net	100,210		105,711
Goodwill, net	238,089		239,613
Intangible assets, net	74,808		81,519
Due from O&M and subsidiaries	0		0
Advances to and investment in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Other assets, net	17,711		17,868
Total assets	824,526		858,841
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	59,834		56,073
Accrued payroll and related liabilities	9,862		13,813
Other current liabilities	154,905		191,012
Total current liabilities	224,601		260,898
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	18,273		19,986
Due to O&M and subsidiaries	59,328		70,089
Intercompany debt	0		0
Deferred income taxes	21,849		18,764
Other liabilities	6,265		5,203
Total liabilities	330,316		374,940
Equity
Common stock	0		0
Paid-in capital	583,867		583,873
Retained earnings (deficit)	(50,770)		(58,648)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(38,887)		(41,324)
Total equity	494,210		483,901
Total liabilities and equity	824,526		858,841
Eliminations
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	$ 0		$ 0
Accounts and notes receivable, net	(9,619)		(9,633)
Merchandise inventories	(1,755)		(2,387)
Other current assets	0		0
Total current assets	(11,374)		(12,020)
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Goodwill, net	0		0
Intangible assets, net	0		0
Due from O&M and subsidiaries	(671,236)		(518,473)
Advances to and investment in consolidated subsidiaries	(2,048,858)		(1,967,176)
Other assets, net	0		0
Total assets	(2,731,468)		(2,497,669)
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	(9,233)		(8,373)
Accrued payroll and related liabilities	0		0
Other current liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	(9,233)		(8,373)
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	0		0
Due to O&M and subsidiaries	(724,266)		(597,157)
Intercompany debt	(138,890)		(138,890)
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	(872,389)		(744,420)
Equity
Common stock	0		0
Paid-in capital	(758,479)		(758,485)
Retained earnings (deficit)	(1,149,162)		(1,046,139)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	48,562		51,375
Total equity	(1,859,079)		(1,753,249)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (2,731,468)		$ (2,497,669)