Document and Entity Information - shares	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	May 04, 2018
Document Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Mar. 31, 2018
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2018
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Trading Symbol	MPW
Entity Registrant Name	MEDICAL PROPERTIES TRUST INC
Entity Central Index Key	0001287865
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		364,736,886
MPT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Mar. 31, 2018
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2018
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
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