Income Taxes - Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and liabilities (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property and equipment		$ (2,560)
Unbilled rent	(2,070)mpw_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesUnbilledRent	(610)mpw_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesUnbilledRent
Partnership investments	(3,468)
Other	(3,759)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther	(2,313)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther
Total deferred tax liabilities	(9,297)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities	(5,483)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities
Deferred tax assets:
Loan loss and other reserves		7,751
Operating loss and interest deduction carry forwards	19,546	2,283
Property and equipment	2,373
Partnership investments		805us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsInvestments
Other	3,971us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther	2,256us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther
Total deferred tax assets	25,890us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross	13,095us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross
Valuation allowance	(16,831)	(7,843)
Total net deferred tax assets	9,059us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet	5,252us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet
Net deferred tax (liability)	$ (238)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet	$ (231)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet

Deferred tax liabilities, unbilled rent.

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Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards.

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Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from investments (excludes investments in subsidiaries and equity method investments).

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Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences from investments (excludes investments in subsidiaries and equity method investments).

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