Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 200,969		$ 56,772	$ 92,027		$ 101,905
Accounts and notes receivable, net	580,739		626,192
Merchandise inventories	903,501		872,457
Other current assets	275,481		315,285
Total current assets	1,960,690		1,870,706
Property and equipment, net	219,372		232,979
Goodwill, net	421,760		423,276
Intangible assets, net	100,904		108,593
Due from O&M and subsidiaries	0		0
Advances to and investment in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Other assets, net	92,180		99,852
Total assets	2,794,906		2,735,406
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	753,495		608,846
Accrued payroll and related liabilities	34,797		31,507
Deferred income taxes	41,378		37,979
Other accrued liabilities	288,432		326,223
Total current liabilities	1,118,102		1,004,555
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	574,623		608,551
Due to O&M and subsidiaries	0		0
Intercompany debt	0		0
Deferred income taxes	62,282		63,901
Other liabilities	62,772		67,561
Total liabilities	1,817,779		1,744,568
Equity
Common stock	126,036		126,140
Paid-in capital	205,727		202,934
Retained earnings (deficit)	690,152		685,765
Accumulated other comprehensive income	(44,788)	$ (51,646)	(24,001)	9,690	$ 10,133	9,568
Total equity	977,127		990,838	1,031,385		1,025,043
Total liabilities and equity	2,794,906		2,735,406
Owens & Minor, Inc.
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	105,427		22,013	56,792		74,391
Accounts and notes receivable, net	0		0
Merchandise inventories	0		0
Other current assets	299		(24,748)
Total current assets	105,726		(2,735)
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	1,897,461		1,893,767
Other assets, net	4,347		4,637
Total assets	2,007,534		1,895,669
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued payroll and related liabilities	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other accrued liabilities	7,004		6,441
Total current liabilities	7,004		6,441
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	547,905		547,763
Due to O&M and subsidiaries	475,498		350,627
Intercompany debt	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	1,030,407		904,831
Equity
Common stock	126,036		126,140
Paid-in capital	205,727		202,934
Retained earnings (deficit)	690,152		685,765
Accumulated other comprehensive income	(44,788)		(24,001)
Total equity	977,127		990,838
Total liabilities and equity	2,007,534		1,895,669
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	46,639		3,912	13,098		2,012
Accounts and notes receivable, net	485,256		519,951
Merchandise inventories	852,396		816,915
Other current assets	94,214		90,733
Total current assets	1,478,505		1,431,511
Property and equipment, net	108,373		110,076
Goodwill, net	247,271		247,271
Intangible assets, net	14,768		15,805
Due from O&M and subsidiaries	513,448		357,304
Advances to and investment in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Other assets, net	62,413		66,836
Total assets	2,424,778		2,228,803
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	713,907		567,285
Accrued payroll and related liabilities	23,485		16,434
Deferred income taxes	43,160		39,667
Other accrued liabilities	99,024		83,698
Total current liabilities	879,576		707,084
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	5,395		39,915
Due to O&M and subsidiaries	0		0
Intercompany debt	138,890		138,890
Deferred income taxes	32,974		33,162
Other liabilities	55,155		55,794
Total liabilities	1,111,990		974,845
Equity
Common stock	0		0
Paid-in capital	241,877		241,877
Retained earnings (deficit)	1,080,701		1,022,379
Accumulated other comprehensive income	(9,790)		(10,298)
Total equity	1,312,788		1,253,958
Total liabilities and equity	2,424,778		2,228,803
Non-guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	48,903		30,847	22,137		25,502
Accounts and notes receivable, net	105,346		144,463
Merchandise inventories	55,272		60,061
Other current assets	179,717		224,220
Total current assets	389,238		459,591
Property and equipment, net	110,999		122,903
Goodwill, net	174,489		176,005
Intangible assets, net	86,136		92,788
Due from O&M and subsidiaries	0		0
Advances to and investment in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Other assets, net	25,420		28,379
Total assets	786,282		879,666
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	48,470		54,898
Accrued payroll and related liabilities	11,312		15,073
Deferred income taxes	(1,782)		(1,688)
Other accrued liabilities	182,404		236,084
Total current liabilities	240,404		304,367
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	21,323		20,873
Due to O&M and subsidiaries	77,464		77,788
Intercompany debt	0		0
Deferred income taxes	29,308		30,739
Other liabilities	7,617		11,767
Total liabilities	376,116		445,534
Equity
Common stock	0		0
Paid-in capital	514,314		514,314
Retained earnings (deficit)	(69,099)		(66,479)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	(35,049)		(13,703)
Total equity	410,166		434,132
Total liabilities and equity	786,282		879,666
Eliminations
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	$ 0		$ 0
Accounts and notes receivable, net	(9,863)		(38,222)
Merchandise inventories	(4,167)		(4,519)
Other current assets	1,251		25,080
Total current assets	(12,779)		(17,661)
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Goodwill, net	0		0
Intangible assets, net	0		0
Due from O&M and subsidiaries	(513,448)		(357,304)
Advances to and investment in consolidated subsidiaries	(1,897,461)		(1,893,767)
Other assets, net	0		0
Total assets	(2,423,688)		(2,268,732)
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	(8,882)		(13,337)
Accrued payroll and related liabilities	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other accrued liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	(8,882)		(13,337)
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	0		0
Due to O&M and subsidiaries	(552,962)		(428,415)
Intercompany debt	(138,890)		(138,890)
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	(700,734)		(580,642)
Equity
Common stock	0		0
Paid-in capital	(756,191)		(756,191)
Retained earnings (deficit)	(1,011,602)		(955,900)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	44,839		24,001
Total equity	(1,722,954)		(1,688,090)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (2,423,688)		$ (2,268,732)