Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Deferred Rent and Interest

No definition available.

Name:	mpw_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseReservesAndAccrualsDeferredRentAndInterest
Namespace Prefix:	mpw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Deferred tax assets, tax deferred expense, write offs related to payment of rent, late fees, and loans.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mpw_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseWriteOffsRelatedToPaymentOfRentLateFeesAndLoans
Namespace Prefix:	mpw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Increase decrease in accounts receivable reserve.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mpw_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivableReserve
Namespace Prefix:	mpw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Increase decrease in real estate impairment reserve.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mpw_IncreaseDecreaseInRealEstateImpairmentReserve
Namespace Prefix:	mpw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from deferred rent.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 20
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115928272&loc=d3e28680-109314

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32632-109319

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32621-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseReservesAndAccrualsDeferredRent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from the provision for loan losses.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32632-109319

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 20
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115928272&loc=d3e28680-109314

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32621-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseReservesAndAccrualsProvisionForLoanLosses
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in valuation and qualifying accounts and reserves.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-09)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e24092-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesPeriodIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis=mpw_DomesticValuationAllowancesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis=mpw_ForeignValuationAllowancesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=mpw_TwelveOaksFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=mpw_CorinthFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=mpw_McHealthcareLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Schedule II - Schedule of Valuation and Qualifying Accounts (Parenthetical) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Increase in real estate impairment reserve			$ 48.0
Increase in accounts receivable reserve			9.3
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowance			$ (7.7)	$ (4.9)	$ (6.1)
Domestic Valuation Allowances [Member]
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowance	$ (4.4)
Foreign Valuation Allowances [Member]
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowance		$ (4.0)
Twelve Oaks Facility [Member]
Rent reserves		1.9			1.9
Write offs related to payment of rent, late fees, and loans		3.3			3.3
Corinth Facility [Member]
Rent reserves		0.8			0.8
Write offs for rent and interest reserves		0.8			0.8
M/C Healthcare Loan [Member]
Write offs related to loan		$ 0.1			$ 0.1