2.4.0.8139 - Disclosure - Fair Value of Financial Instruments - Summary of Fair Value Information of Financial Instruments (Detail)truefalseIn Thousands, unless otherwise specifiedfalse1false USDfalsefalse$eol_PE631979--1310-Q0007_STD_0_20130630_0http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001287865instant2013-06-30T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00iso4217_USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$2false USDfalsefalse$eol_PE631979--1310-Q0007_STD_0_20121231_0http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001287865instant2012-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00iso4217_USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$1true 3us-gaap_FairValueBalanceSheetGroupingFinancialStatementCaptionsLineItemsus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]2false 4mpw_InterestAndRentReceivablempw_falsedebitinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboseLabel1truefalsefalse5423100054231USD$falsetruefalse2truefalsefalse4528900045289USD$falsetruefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryInterest and rent receivableNo definition available.false2Interest and rent receivables3false 4mpw_Loansmpw_falsedebitinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse332701000332701[1]USD$falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse334693000334693[1]USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryLoans.No definition available.false2Loans4false 4us-gaap_LongTermDebtus-gaap_truecreditinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruenegatedLabel1truefalsefalse-929074000-929074USD$falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse-1025160000-1025160USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCarrying amount of long-term debt, net of unamortized discount or premium, including current and noncurrent amounts. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 7 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 9 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 20, 22 -Article 5 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 false2Debt, net5false 0truefalsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3false USDtruefalse$eol_PE631979--1310-Q0007_STD_0_20130630_0_707249x708968http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001287865instant2013-06-30T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseEstimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosureus-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMemberus-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxisexplicitMemberiso4217_USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$nanafalse0Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure6true 3us-gaap_FairValueBalanceSheetGroupingFinancialStatementCaptionsLineItemsus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]7false 4mpw_InterestAndRentReceivablempw_falsedebitinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboseLabel1truefalsefalse4329100043291USD$falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse3670000036700USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryInterest and rent receivableNo definition available.false2Interest and rent receivables8false 4mpw_Loansmpw_falsedebitinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse329859000329859[1]USD$falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse335595000335595[1]USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryLoans.No definition available.false2Loans9false 4us-gaap_LongTermDebtus-gaap_truecreditinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruenegatedLabel1truefalsefalse-969694000-969694USD$falsetruefalse2truefalsefalse-1082333000-1082333USD$falsetruefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCarrying amount of long-term debt, net of unamortized discount or premium, including current and noncurrent amounts. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 7 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 9 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 20, 22 -Article 5 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 false2Debt, net1Excludes loans related to the Ernest Transaction since they are recorded at fair value and discussed below.falseFair Value of Financial Instruments - Summary of Fair Value Information of Financial Instruments (Detail) (USD $)ThousandsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://www.medicalpropertiestrust.com/taxonomy/role/DisclosureFairValueOfFinancialInstrumentsSummaryOfFairValueInformationOfFinancialInstruments29