Document and Entity Information - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Feb. 24, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Document Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2016
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2016
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Trading Symbol	MPW
Entity Registrant Name	MEDICAL PROPERTIES TRUST INC
Entity Central Index Key	0001287865
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		320,934,225
Entity Public Float			$ 3,598,495,723
MPT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2016
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2016
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Entity Registrant Name	MPT OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.
Entity Central Index Key	0001524607
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer