Common Stock/Partners' Capital - Additional Information (Detail) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jan. 14, 2015 USD ($) shares	Mar. 11, 2014 USD ($) shares	Jan. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) Employee Director Partner shares	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2014 shares
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock, shares issued | shares					207,804		172,743
Proceeds from sale of common shares/units, net of offering costs					$ 479,902,000	$ 128,332,000
MPT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of common shares/units, net of offering costs					$ 479,902,000	$ 128,332,000
Ownership interest in equity					99.86%
Number of units sold | shares					34,500	9,800
Number of other partners | Partner					3
Market Equity Offering Program [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock, shares issued | shares				900
Proceeds from sale of common shares/units, net of offering costs				$ 12,300,000
Sales commission percentage			1.25%
Market Equity Offering Program [Member] | IPO [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Public offering price for common stock per share | $ / shares				$ 13.21
Market Equity Offering Program [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of shares can be sold out			$ 250,000,000
Employee [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of partners shared remaining ownership percentage | Employee					2
Director [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of partners shared remaining ownership percentage | Director					1
Public Offering [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock, shares issued | shares	34,500	7,700
Additional shares purchased by underwriters | shares	4,500	1,200
Proceeds from sale of common shares/units, net of offering costs	$ 480,000,000	$ 100,200,000
Time granted to underwriters to purchase shares					30 days
Net proceeds from additional issuance of shares		$ 16,000,000