Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Operating activities
Net income	$ 939,536	$ 218,862
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	106,508	93,805
Amortization of deferred financing costs and debt discount	5,543	4,748
Direct financing lease interest accretion	(7,213)	(7,276)
Straight-line rent revenue	(64,840)	(47,678)
Share / (Unit)-based compensation expense	11,695	7,148
Gain from sale of real estate and other, net	(672,822)	(7,431)
Straight-line rent and other write-off	17,615	1,117
Debt refinancing costs		18,794
Other adjustments	(21,354)	(7,140)
Changes in:
Interest and rent receivables	(10,158)	(14,613)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	(5,387)	(40,378)
Net cash provided by operating activities	299,123	219,958
Investing activities
Cash paid for acquisitions and other related investments	(1,166,618)	(2,152,069)
Net proceeds from sale of real estate	1,513,666	64,362
Principal received on loans receivable	531,772	6,760
Investment in loans receivable	(174,494)	(18,574)
Construction in progress and other	(32,425)	(52,953)
Other investments, net	(63,080)	(73,982)
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	608,821	(2,226,456)
Financing activities
Proceeds from term debt	759,735	2,355,280
Payments of term debt		(688,221)
Revolving credit facilities, net	(818,116)	155,089
Distributions paid	(272,360)	(239,211)
Lease deposits and other obligations to tenants	(25,511)	(8,346)
Proceeds from sale of common shares, net of offering costs		548,055
Other financing activities	(3,106)	(27,167)
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	(359,358)	2,095,479
Increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash for period	548,586	88,981
Effect of exchange rate changes	(8,313)	15,136
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	172,247	84,882
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	712,520	188,999
Interest paid	175,715	131,708
Supplemental schedule of non-cash financing activities:
Distributions declared, not paid	91,547	87,519
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash are comprised of the following:
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	171,472	83,240
Restricted cash, included in Other assets at beginning of period	$ 775	$ 1,642
Restricted cash and cash equivalents, noncurrent, asset, statement of financial position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:OtherAssets	us-gaap:OtherAssets
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	$ 172,247	$ 84,882
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	710,965	188,224
Restricted cash, included in Other assets at end of period	$ 1,555	$ 775
Restricted cash and cash equivalents, noncurrent, asset, statement of financial position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:OtherAssets	us-gaap:OtherAssets
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	$ 712,520	$ 188,999
MPT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Operating activities
Net income	939,536	218,862
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	106,508	93,805
Amortization of deferred financing costs and debt discount	5,543	4,748
Direct financing lease interest accretion	(7,213)	(7,276)
Straight-line rent revenue	(64,840)	(47,678)
Share / (Unit)-based compensation expense	11,695	7,148
Gain from sale of real estate and other, net	(672,822)	(7,431)
Straight-line rent and other write-off	17,615	1,117
Debt refinancing costs		18,794
Other adjustments	(21,354)	(7,140)
Changes in:
Interest and rent receivables	(10,158)	(14,613)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	(5,387)	(40,378)
Net cash provided by operating activities	299,123	219,958
Investing activities
Cash paid for acquisitions and other related investments	(1,166,618)	(2,152,069)
Net proceeds from sale of real estate	1,513,666	64,362
Principal received on loans receivable	531,772	6,760
Investment in loans receivable	(174,494)	(18,574)
Construction in progress and other	(32,425)	(52,953)
Other investments, net	(63,080)	(73,982)
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	608,821	(2,226,456)
Financing activities
Proceeds from term debt	759,735	2,355,280
Payments of term debt		(688,221)
Revolving credit facilities, net	(818,116)	155,089
Distributions paid	(272,360)	(239,211)
Lease deposits and other obligations to tenants	(25,511)	(8,346)
Proceeds from sale of common shares, net of offering costs		548,055
Other financing activities	(3,106)	(27,167)
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	(359,358)	2,095,479
Increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash for period	548,586	88,981
Effect of exchange rate changes	(8,313)	15,136
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	172,247	84,882
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	712,520	188,999
Interest paid	175,715	131,708
Supplemental schedule of non-cash financing activities:
Distributions declared, not paid	91,547	87,519
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash are comprised of the following:
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	171,472	83,240
Restricted cash, included in Other assets at beginning of period	$ 775	$ 1,642
Restricted cash and cash equivalents, noncurrent, asset, statement of financial position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:OtherAssets	us-gaap:OtherAssets
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	$ 172,247	$ 84,882
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	710,965	188,224
Restricted cash, included in Other assets at end of period	$ 1,555	$ 775
Restricted cash and cash equivalents, noncurrent, asset, statement of financial position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:OtherAssets	us-gaap:OtherAssets
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	$ 712,520	$ 188,999