CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN PARTNERS' CAPITAL - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Healthcare Trust of America Holdings, LP (HTALP)	Healthcare Trust of America Holdings, LP (HTALP) General Partners’ Capital	Healthcare Trust of America Holdings, LP (HTALP) Limited Partners’ Capital
Balance as of beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2017		$ 3,363,448	$ 3,279,052	$ 84,396
Balance as of beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017			204,892,000	4,124,000
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Share-based award transactions, net		3,507	$ 3,507
Share-based award transactions, net (in shares)			289,000
Redemption and cancellation of general partner OP Units		(2,709)	$ (2,709)
Redemption and cancellation of general partner units (in shares)			(92,000)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other		0	$ 2,413	$ (2,413)
Redemption of limited partner units and other (in shares)			91,000	(91,000)
Distributions declared		(63,866)	$ (62,559)	$ (1,307)
Net (loss) income		9,983	9,802	181
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$ 900	900	883	17
Balance as of end of period at Mar. 31, 2018		3,311,263	$ 3,230,389	$ 80,874
Balance as of end of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2018			205,180,000	4,033,000
Balance as of beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2017		3,363,448	$ 3,279,052	$ 84,396
Balance as of beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017			204,892,000	4,124,000
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of general partner units	0
Net (loss) income	198,134	201,956
Other comprehensive income (loss)	382	382
Balance as of end of period at Sep. 30, 2018		3,433,529	$ 3,353,897	$ 79,632
Balance as of end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2018			207,231,000	3,929,000
Balance as of beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2017		3,363,448	$ 3,279,052	$ 84,396
Balance as of beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017			204,892,000	4,124,000
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of general partner units	0
Balance as of end of period at Dec. 31, 2018		3,334,914	$ 3,256,294	$ 78,620
Balance as of end of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018			205,267,000	3,929,000
Balance as of beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2018		3,311,263	$ 3,230,389	$ 80,874
Balance as of beginning of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2018			205,180,000	4,033,000
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of general partner units		72,814	$ 72,814
Issuance of partner units, net (in shares)			2,550,000
Share-based award transactions, net		2,196	$ 2,196
Share-based award transactions, net (in shares)			7,000
Redemption and cancellation of general partner OP Units		(8,844)	$ (8,844)
Redemption and cancellation of general partner units (in shares)			(337,000)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other		0	$ 2,494	$ (2,494)
Redemption of limited partner units and other (in shares)			93,000	(93,000)
Distributions declared		(64,532)	$ (63,279)	$ (1,253)
Net (loss) income		15,643	15,346	297
Other comprehensive income (loss)	214	214	210	4
Balance as of end of period at Jun. 30, 2018		3,328,754	$ 3,251,326	$ 77,428
Balance as of end of period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2018			207,493,000	3,940,000
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Share-based award transactions, net		2,538	$ 2,127	$ 411
Share-based award transactions, net (in shares)			27,000
Redemption and cancellation of general partner OP Units		(7,878)	$ (7,878)
Redemption and cancellation of general partner units (in shares)			(300,000)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other			$ 288	$ (288)
Redemption of limited partner units and other (in shares)			11,000	(11,000)
Distributions declared		(65,483)	$ (64,233)	$ (1,250)
Net (loss) income	172,986	176,330	172,986	3,344
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(732)	(732)	(719)	(13)
Balance as of end of period at Sep. 30, 2018		3,433,529	$ 3,353,897	$ 79,632
Balance as of end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2018			207,231,000	3,929,000
Balance as of beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2018		3,334,914	$ 3,256,294	$ 78,620
Balance as of beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018			205,267,000	3,929,000
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Share-based award transactions, net		3,389	$ 3,389
Share-based award transactions, net (in shares)			293,000
Redemption and cancellation of general partner OP Units		(11,926)	$ (11,926)
Redemption and cancellation of general partner units (in shares)			(478,000)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other		0	$ 527	$ (527)
Redemption of limited partner units and other (in shares)			18,000	(18,000)
Distributions declared		(64,884)	$ (63,578)	$ (1,306)
Net (loss) income		13,673	13,440	233
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(390)	(390)	(382)	(8)
Balance as of end of period at Mar. 31, 2019		3,274,776	$ 3,197,764	$ 77,012
Balance as of end of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019			205,100,000	3,911,000
Balance as of beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2018		3,334,914	$ 3,256,294	$ 78,620
Balance as of beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018			205,267,000	3,929,000
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of general partner units	2,603
Net (loss) income	21,236	21,656
Other comprehensive income (loss)	1,519	1,519
Balance as of end of period at Sep. 30, 2019		3,214,469	$ 3,141,956	$ 72,513
Balance as of end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019			207,186,000	3,848,000
Balance as of beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2019		3,274,776	$ 3,197,764	$ 77,012
Balance as of beginning of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019			205,100,000	3,911,000
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of general partner units		2,603		$ 2,603
Issuance of partner units, net (in shares)				91,000
Share-based award transactions, net		2,102	$ 2,102
Share-based award transactions, net (in shares)			(3,000)
Redemption and cancellation of general partner OP Units		(169)	$ (169)
Redemption and cancellation of general partner units (in shares)			(6,000)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other		424	$ 1,209	$ (785)
Redemption of limited partner units and other (in shares)			27,000	(27,000)
Distributions declared		(64,913)	$ (63,579)	$ (1,334)
Net (loss) income		16,560	16,259	301
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(381)	(381)	(374)	(7)
Balance as of end of period at Jun. 30, 2019		3,231,002	$ 3,153,212	$ 77,790
Balance as of end of period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019			205,118,000	3,975,000
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of general partner units		51,804	$ 51,804
Issuance of partner units, net (in shares)			1,840,000
Issuance of limited partner OP Units in connection with acquisitions	$ 2,000	2,000		$ 2,000
Issuance of limited partner units in connection with acquisitions (in shares)	72,294			72,000
Share-based award transactions, net		2,337	$ 2,337
Share-based award transactions, net (in shares)			31,000
Redemption and cancellation of general partner OP Units		(65)	$ (65)
Redemption and cancellation of general partner units (in shares)			(2,000)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other		67	$ 6,018	$ (5,951)
Redemption of limited partner units and other (in shares)			199,000	(199,000)
Distributions declared		(66,389)	$ (65,134)	$ (1,255)
Net (loss) income	$ (8,463)	(8,577)	(8,463)	(114)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$ 2,290	2,290	2,247	43
Balance as of end of period at Sep. 30, 2019		$ 3,214,469	$ 3,141,956	$ 72,513
Balance as of end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019			207,186,000	3,848,000