Debt (Summary Of Debt) (Details) (USD $)						12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011 Medical Properties Trust, Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Medical Properties Trust, Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Revolving Credit Facilities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Revolving Credit Facilities [Member]	Oct. 30, 2011 2006 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 2006 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 2006 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	Jul. 30, 2011 2006 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 2011 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	Apr. 26, 2011 2011 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 2011 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Exchangeable Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Exchangeable Senior Notes [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Exchangeable Senior Notes [Member]	Apr. 30, 2008 Exchangeable Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Term Loans [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Term Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount						$ 89,600,000			$ 125,000,000	$ 125,000,000		$ 450,000,000			$ 91,175,000	$ 11,000,000			$ 157,683,000	$ 14,429,000
Unamortized discount															(2,585,000)	(180,000)			(1,303,000)
Debt instrument, net															88,590,000	10,820,000			156,380,000	14,429,000
Total senior notes available	$ 689,849,000	$ 369,970,000	$ 125,000,000	$ 689,849,000	$ 369,970,000
Unsecured senior notes, interest rate											7.871%	6.875%	6.875%			9.25%	9.25%	9.25%		6.20%
Interest rate, minimum								7.333%		7.333%					6.125%
Interest rate, maximum								7.715%		7.871%					9.25%
Interest rate											7.871%	6.875%	6.875%			9.25%	9.25%	9.25%		6.20%
Interest rate terms						Variable	Variable		Various										Various