Consolidated Statements of Equity / Capital (USD $) In Thousands	Total	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Distributions in Excess of Net Income [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Common Par Value [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]	Non- Controlling Interests [Member]	MPT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]	MPT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]	MPT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] Non- Controlling Interests [Member]	MPT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] General Partner [Member]	MPT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] Limited Partner [Member] Common Par Value [Member]	MPT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] Limited Partner [Member] Long Term Incentive Plan [Member]
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2011	$ 828,815	$ 1,055,256	$ (214,059)	$ (262)	$ 111	$ (12,231)		$ 829,205	$ (12,231)		$ 8,418	$ 833,018
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2011					110,786						1,107	109,679	150
Net income	90,077		89,900				177	90,077		177	899	88,733	268
Unrealized gain (loss) on interest rate swaps	(251)					(251)		(251)	(251)
Stock (Unit) vesting and amortization of stock (unit)-based compensation	7,637	7,636			1			7,637			76	7,561
Stock (Unit) vesting and amortization of stock (unit)-based compensation (shares)					854						4	850	71
Distributions to non-controlling interests	(177)						(177)	(177)		(177)
Proceeds from offering (net of offering costs)	233,048	233,024			24			233,048			2,331	230,717
Proceeds from offering (net of offering costs) (shares)					24,695						246	24,449
Dividends (Distributions) declared ($0.80 in 2012, $0.81 in 2013 and $0.84 in 20134 per common share / unit)	(109,335)		(109,335)					(109,335)			(1,094)	(107,973)	(268)
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2012	1,049,814	1,295,916	(233,494)	(262)	136	(12,482)		1,050,204	(12,482)		10,630	1,052,056
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012					136,335						1,357	134,978	221
Net income	26,210							26,210
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2013
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2012	1,049,814	1,295,916	(233,494)	(262)	136	(12,482)		1,050,204	(12,482)		10,630	1,052,056
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012					136,335						1,357	134,978	221
Net income	97,215		96,991				224	97,215		224	972	95,748	271
Unrealized gain (loss) on interest rate swaps	3,474					3,474		3,474	3,474
Foreign currency translation gain (loss)	67					67		67	67
Stock (Unit) vesting and amortization of stock (unit)-based compensation	8,833	8,832			1			8,833			88	8,745
Stock (Unit) vesting and amortization of stock (unit)-based compensation (shares)					811						9	802	71
Distributions to non-controlling interests	(224)						(224)	(224)		(224)
Proceeds from offering (net of offering costs)	313,330	313,306			24			313,330			3,133	310,197
Proceeds from offering (net of offering costs) (shares)					24,164						242	23,922
Dividends (Distributions) declared ($0.80 in 2012, $0.81 in 2013 and $0.84 in 20134 per common share / unit)	(128,301)		(128,301)					(128,301)			(1,282)	(126,748)	(271)
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2013	1,344,208	1,618,054	(264,804)	(262)	161	(8,941)		1,344,598	(8,941)		13,541	1,339,998
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013					161,310						1,608	159,702	292
Beginning balance at Sep. 30, 2013
Net income	17,897							17,897
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2013	1,344,208			(262)				1,344,598
Net income	7,307							7,307
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2014
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2013	1,344,208	1,618,054	(264,804)	(262)	161	(8,941)		1,344,598	(8,941)		13,541	1,339,998
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013					161,310						1,608	159,702	292
Net income	50,796		50,522				274	50,796		274	508	49,769	245
Unrealized gain (loss) on interest rate swaps	2,964					2,964		2,964	2,964
Foreign currency translation gain (loss)	(15,937)					(15,937)		(15,937)	(15,937)
Stock (Unit) vesting and amortization of stock (unit)-based compensation	9,165	9,165						9,165			92	9,073
Stock (Unit) vesting and amortization of stock (unit)-based compensation (shares)					777						8	769
Distributions to non-controlling interests	(274)						(274)	(274)		(274)
Proceeds from offering (net of offering costs)	138,173	138,162			11			138,173			1,382	136,791
Proceeds from offering (net of offering costs) (shares)					10,656						106	10,550
Dividends (Distributions) declared ($0.80 in 2012, $0.81 in 2013 and $0.84 in 20134 per common share / unit)	(147,048)		(147,048)					(147,048)			(1,468)	(145,335)	(245)
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2014	1,382,047	1,765,381	(361,330)	(262)	172	(21,914)		1,382,437	(21,914)		14,055	1,390,296
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014					172,743						1,722	171,021	292
Beginning balance at Sep. 30, 2014
Net income	15,029							15,029
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 1,382,047			$ (262)				$ 1,382,437