Common Stock/Partner's Capital (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2011	Jan. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010 Medical Properties Trust, Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Medical Properties Trust, Inc. [Member]	Jan. 09, 2009 Medical Properties Trust, Inc. [Member]	Apr. 30, 2010 Medical Properties Trust, Inc. [Member] Public Offering [Member]	Jan. 31, 2009 Medical Properties Trust, Inc. [Member] Public Offering [Member]	Mar. 31, 2010 Medical Properties Trust, Inc. [Member] Market Equity Offering Program [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Medical Properties Trust, Inc. [Member] Market Equity Offering Program [Member]	Nov. 30, 2009 Medical Properties Trust, Inc. [Member] Market Equity Offering Program [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 MPT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 MPT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 MPT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]	Jan. 09, 2009 Maximum [Member] Medical Properties Trust, Inc. [Member]	Jan. 09, 2009 Minimum [Member] Medical Properties Trust, Inc. [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock, shares issued	110,225,000		110,786,000					26,000,000	12,000,000	900,000	30,000
Public offering price for common stock per share								$ 9.75	$ 5.40		$ 10.25
Underwriters' purchase of shares to cover over allotments								3,900,000	1,300,000
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock	$ 288,066,000	$ 68,003,000			$ 288,066,000	$ 68,003,000		$ 279,100,000	$ 67,800,000	$ 9,500,000	$ 300,000			$ 288,066,000	$ 68,003,000
Average price of common stock under market equity offering program per share										$ 10.77
Sales commission										2.00%	2.00%
Number of shares can be sold out												$ 50,000,000
Common stock, par value	$ 0.001		$ 0.001				$ 0.001
Common stock, shares authorized	150,000,000		150,000,000													150,000,000	100,000,000
Common stock, additional shares authorized			250,000,000
Percentage of ownership of general partner													100.00%
Ownership interest in Operating Partnership			100.00%	51.00%									99.80%
Number of other partners													3