Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,283,416	$ 1,499,116	$ 933,735	$ 965,241
Accounts receivable, net	1,875,403	1,724,228
Other current assets	1,337,398	1,279,936
Total current assets	4,496,217	4,503,280
Property and equipment, net	2,972,407	2,788,740
Intangible assets, net	1,631,001	1,687,326
Other long-term assets and investments	231,048	241,050
Goodwill	9,360,957	9,294,479		9,415,295
Total assets	18,691,630	18,514,875
Current liabilities	2,645,662	2,399,138
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	10,150,362	10,167,499
Noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions	936,903	864,066
Total DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. shareholders’ equity	4,746,054	4,870,780
Noncontrolling interests not subject to put provisions	212,649	213,392
Total equity	4,958,703	5,084,172
Total liabilities and equity	18,691,630	18,514,875
Consolidation, Eliminations
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements Captions [Line Items]
Investments in subsidiaries	(10,691,403)	(10,490,264)
Intercompany receivables	(4,192,206)	(4,175,947)
Total assets	(14,883,609)	(14,666,211)
Intercompany payables	(4,192,206)	(4,175,947)
Noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions	345,193	322,320
Total DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. shareholders’ equity	(10,691,403)	(10,490,264)
Noncontrolling interests not subject to put provisions	(345,193)	(322,320)
Total equity	(11,036,596)	(10,812,584)
Total liabilities and equity	(14,883,609)	(14,666,211)
DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	1,028,594	1,186,636	685,219	698,876
Other current assets	408,147	431,504
Total current assets	1,436,741	1,618,140
Property and equipment, net	278,446	268,066
Intangible assets, net	606	540
Investments in subsidiaries	9,075,477	8,893,079
Intercompany receivables	3,467,431	3,474,133
Other long-term assets and investments	66,191	74,458
Total assets	14,324,892	14,328,416
Current liabilities	346,065	185,217
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	8,641,063	8,730,673
Noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions	591,710	541,746
Total DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. shareholders’ equity	4,746,054	4,870,780
Total equity	4,746,054	4,870,780
Total liabilities and equity	14,324,892	14,328,416
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	35,769	109,357	58,195	77,921
Accounts receivable, net	1,181,421	929,390
Other current assets	804,854	769,947
Total current assets	2,022,044	1,808,694
Property and equipment, net	1,625,879	1,575,890
Intangible assets, net	1,579,344	1,634,920
Investments in subsidiaries	1,615,926	1,597,185
Other long-term assets and investments	56,011	53,346
Goodwill	7,877,424	7,834,257
Total assets	14,776,628	14,504,292
Current liabilities	1,792,474	1,730,123
Intercompany payables	2,712,065	2,750,102
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	1,196,612	1,130,988
Total DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. shareholders’ equity	9,075,477	8,893,079
Total equity	9,075,477	8,893,079
Total liabilities and equity	14,776,628	14,504,292
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	219,053	203,123	$ 190,321	$ 188,444
Accounts receivable, net	693,982	794,838
Other current assets	124,397	78,485
Total current assets	1,037,432	1,076,446
Property and equipment, net	1,068,082	944,784
Intangible assets, net	51,051	51,866
Intercompany receivables	724,775	701,814
Other long-term assets and investments	108,846	113,246
Goodwill	1,483,533	1,460,222
Total assets	4,473,719	4,348,378
Current liabilities	507,123	483,798
Intercompany payables	1,480,141	1,425,845
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	312,687	305,838
Total DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. shareholders’ equity	1,615,926	1,597,185
Noncontrolling interests not subject to put provisions	557,842	535,712
Total equity	2,173,768	2,132,897
Total liabilities and equity	$ 4,473,719	$ 4,348,378