Contingent business acquisition related loans.

No definition available.

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Lease agreement annual incremental interest percentage.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Lease agreement interest percentage.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Lease extension period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Lease period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Lease remaining term.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of beds acquired.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of hospitals acquired.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of lease extension options.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of properties disposed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mpw_NumberOfPropertiesClosedOn
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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of real estate properties acquired.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The capitalized costs incurred during the period (excluded from amortization) to purchase, lease or otherwise acquire an unproved property, including costs of lease bonuses and options to purchase or lease properties, the portion of costs applicable to minerals when land including mineral rights is purchased in fee, brokers' fees, recording fees, legal costs, and other costs incurred in acquiring properties.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 932
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-10(c)(7)(ii))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50486907&loc=d3e511914-122862

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 932
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-10(c)(3)(ii)(A))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50486907&loc=d3e511914-122862

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of voting equity interests acquired at the acquisition date in the business combination.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65885119&loc=d3e1392-128463

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The pro forma net Income or Loss for the period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(2)-(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65885119&loc=d3e1392-128463

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents acquisition-related costs incurred to effect a business combination which costs have been expensed during the period. Such costs include finder's fees; advisory, legal, accounting, valuation, and other professional or consulting fees; general administrative costs, including the costs of maintaining an internal acquisitions department; and may include costs of registering and issuing debt and equity securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 23
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73531572&loc=d3e1043-128460

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total investments in (A) an entity in which the entity has significant influence, but does not have control, (B) subsidiaries that are not required to be consolidated and are accounted for using the equity and or cost method, and (C) an entity in which the reporting entity shares control of the entity with another party or group. Includes long-term advances receivable from a party that is affiliated with the reporting entity by means of direct or indirect ownership.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total amount of new mortgage loans on real estate during the reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 948
-SubTopic 310
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-29.6)
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-04.(c) Schedule IV)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27047687&loc=d3e5864-122674

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of businesses acquired by the entity during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total amount of revenue recognized for the period from operating leases, including minimum lease revenue, contingent revenue, percentage revenue and sublease revenue.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7501430&loc=d3e39896-112707

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow associated with extending a long-term loan to a related party. Alternate caption: Payments for Advances to Affiliates.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The historical cost of the asset(s) sold in connection with the sale of the property to another party and the lease of the property back to the seller.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 40
-Section 55
-Paragraph 52
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-SubTopic 40
-Section 55
-Paragraph 51
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28365400&loc=d3e51840-112757

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- Details

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Real Estate and Lending Activities - 2015 Activity - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Thousands, € in Millions						3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015 EUR (€) Property	Jun. 16, 2015 USD ($) RenewalOptions Property Bed	Apr. 29, 2015 EUR (€) Hospital	Feb. 27, 2015 USD ($) RenewalOptions	Feb. 13, 2015 USD ($) Facility RenewalOptions	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 22, 2016 EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2014 EUR (€)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Income contributed by the acquired entity							$ 50		$ 100
Acquisition related costs						$ 4,767	25,809	$ 3,702	32,048
Median [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Value of properties closed \| €										€ 41.6
2015 [Member] \| Ernest [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition costs		$ 31,500
Term of lease, years		20 years
Loans provided for acquisition		$ 12,000
Number of properties acquired \| Property		2
Number of lease extension options \| RenewalOptions		3
Term of lease extension, years		5 years
2015 [Member] \| Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital [Member] \| Ernest [Member] \| Weslaco Texas [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition costs				$ 10,700
Number of lease extension options \| RenewalOptions				3
Term of lease extension, years				5 years
Payments to fund long-term loans to related parties				$ 5,000
Lease original term				17 years
2015 [Member] \| Acute Care Hospital [Member] \| Kansas [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Term of lease, years					10 years
Number of lease extension options \| RenewalOptions					2
Term of lease extension, years					5 years
Number of facilities acquired \| Facility					2
Purchase price of acquisition					$ 110,000
Mortgage financing					$ 40,000
Mortgage financing term					10 years
2015 [Member] \| Acute Care Hospital [Member] \| Ernest [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of beds acquired \| Bed		37
2015 [Member] \| Rehabilitation Hospital with Covenant Health System [Member] \| Ernest [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of beds acquired \| Bed		60
2015 [Member] \| Median [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of hospitals acquired \| Hospital			32
Acquisition costs \| €			€ 688.0
Term of lease, years			27 years
Lease rent increase percentage			70.00%
Lease rate			9.30%
Ownership percentage											5.10%
Loans provided for acquisition \| €	€ 240.0										€ 425.0
Number of properties closed \| Property	17
Value of properties closed \| €	€ 317.0
2015 [Member] \| Waterland Private Equity Fund [Member] \| Median [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership percentage											94.90%
2015 [Member] \| Business Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Revenue contributed by the acquired entity							4,200		6,200
Income contributed by the acquired entity							3,500		4,900
Acquisition related costs							$ 22,600		$ 26,700