Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Income) (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	$ 2,305,858	$ 2,236,077	$ 4,562,239	$ 4,482,461
Cost of goods sold	2,023,586	1,962,646	3,998,771	3,929,979
Gross margin	282,272	273,431	563,468	552,482
Selling, general and administrative expenses	225,838	212,548	451,448	430,269
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	7,593	638	10,855	2,648
Depreciation and amortization	13,892	12,276	27,756	24,905
Other operating income, net	(2,152)	(2,081)	(9,978)	(3,274)
Operating earnings	37,101	50,050	83,387	97,934
Interest expense (income), net	3,342	3,248	6,589	6,446
Income before income taxes	33,759	46,802	76,798	91,488
Income tax (benefit) provision	13,883	17,930	31,436	36,518
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	19,876	28,872	45,362	54,970
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(443)	1,880	122	(5,752)
Comprehensive income	19,433	30,752	45,484	49,218
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
Selling, general and administrative expenses	61	221	14	874
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	2	3	1	7
Other operating income, net	0	0	0	0
Operating earnings	(63)	(224)	(15)	(881)
Interest expense (income), net	2,924	5,154	5,399	9,549
Income before income taxes	(2,987)	(5,378)	(5,414)	(10,430)
Income tax (benefit) provision	(1,200)	(2,045)	(2,155)	(4,007)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	21,663	32,205	48,621	61,393
Net income (loss)	19,876	28,872	45,362	54,970
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(443)	1,880	122	(5,752)
Comprehensive income	19,433	30,752	45,484	49,218
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	2,187,130	2,143,576	4,335,495	4,298,290
Cost of goods sold	1,978,815	1,932,112	3,918,280	3,868,204
Gross margin	208,315	211,464	417,215	430,086
Selling, general and administrative expenses	152,122	152,387	306,372	308,735
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	3,886	397	5,180	1,259
Depreciation and amortization	8,790	8,865	17,741	17,924
Other operating income, net	(814)	(1,498)	(7,877)	(2,142)
Operating earnings	44,331	51,313	95,799	104,310
Interest expense (income), net	791	(1,696)	2,034	(2,585)
Income before income taxes	43,540	53,009	93,765	106,895
Income tax (benefit) provision	17,808	20,594	37,994	42,051
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	25,732	32,415	55,771	64,844
Other comprehensive income (loss)	111	209	218	416
Comprehensive income	25,843	32,624	55,989	65,260
Non-guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	137,683	104,259	257,558	206,240
Cost of goods sold	63,299	42,201	110,897	83,483
Gross margin	74,384	62,058	146,661	122,757
Selling, general and administrative expenses	73,655	59,940	145,062	120,660
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	3,707	241	5,675	1,389
Depreciation and amortization	5,100	3,408	10,014	6,974
Other operating income, net	(1,338)	(583)	(2,101)	(1,132)
Operating earnings	(6,740)	(948)	(11,989)	(5,134)
Interest expense (income), net	(373)	(210)	(844)	(518)
Income before income taxes	(6,367)	(738)	(11,145)	(4,616)
Income tax (benefit) provision	(2,725)	(618)	(4,403)	(1,526)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(3,642)	(120)	(6,742)	(3,090)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(570)	1,682	(103)	(6,146)
Comprehensive income	(4,212)	1,562	(6,845)	(9,236)
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenue	(18,955)	(11,758)	(30,814)	(22,069)
Cost of goods sold	(18,528)	(11,667)	(30,406)	(21,708)
Gross margin	(427)	(91)	(408)	(361)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Acquisition-related and exit and realignment charges	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Other operating income, net	0	0	0	0
Operating earnings	(427)	(91)	(408)	(361)
Interest expense (income), net	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	(427)	(91)	(408)	(361)
Income tax (benefit) provision	0	(1)	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(21,663)	(32,205)	(48,621)	(61,393)
Net income (loss)	(22,090)	(32,295)	(49,029)	(61,754)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	459	(1,891)	(115)	5,730
Comprehensive income	$ (21,631)	$ (34,186)	$ (49,144)	$ (56,024)