Stockholders' Equity and Partners' Capital - Textuals (Details)		1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Apr. 25, 2016 $ / shares	Apr. 27, 2016 $ / shares shares	Jan. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2015 shares
Common Stock Dividends
Dividends declared (in usd per share) | $ / shares				$ 0.295	$ 0.290
LTIP Units
Incentive Plan
Number of forfeited units/shares						225,000
Restricted Common Stock
Incentive Plan
Number of forfeited units/shares				3,244	8,000
Nonvested awards, total compensation cost not yet recognized | $				$ 6,700,000
Period for recognition				1 year 9 months 18 days
Restricted Common Stock | General and Administrative Expense
Incentive Plan
Compensation expense | $				$ 1,800,000	$ 1,900,000
2006 Incentive Plan
Incentive Plan
Number of shares authorized				5,000,000
Number of shares available for grant				2,123,422
Subsequent Event
Common Stock Offerings
Number of shares issued		5,980,000
Share price (in usd per share) | $ / shares		$ 28.75
Common Stock Dividends
Dividends declared (in usd per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.295
ATM
Common Stock Offerings
Number of shares issued				3,418,571
Sale of stock, average price per share (in usd per share) | $ / shares				$ 27.25
Remaining amount of shares available for issuance | $				$ 206,800,000
ATM | Maximum
Common Stock Offerings
Maximum amount of common stock authorized | $			$ 300,000,000
Healthcare Trust of America Holdings, LP (HTALP)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Dividend distribution ratio				1
Common Stock Dividends
Dividends declared (in usd per share) | $ / shares				$ 0.295	$ 0.290