Debt instrument redemption period.

No definition available.

Name:	mpw_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	mpw_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt instrument repurchase price percentage on principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mpw_DebtInstrumentRepurchasePricePercentageOnPrincipalAmountPlusAccruedAndUnpaidInterest
Namespace Prefix:	mpw_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775744&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description of the frequency of periodic payments (monthly, quarterly, annual).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75038535&loc=d3e64711-112823

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFrequencyOfPeriodicPayment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- 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

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (bbb)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99377789&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of debt redemption features under terms of the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph e
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75038535&loc=d3e64711-112823

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionDescription
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage price of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=mpw_ThreePointThreeTwoFivePercentageSeniorUnsecuredNotesDueTwoThousandTwentyFiveMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodAxis=us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodAxis=us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Debt - 3.325% Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2025 - Additional Information (Detail) - 3.325% Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2025 [Member] - EUR (€)		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 24, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior unsecured notes face amount	€ 500,000,000
Senior unsecured notes, interest rate	3.325%	3.325%	3.325%
Senior unsecured notes, payable term		Interest on the notes is payable annually on March 24 of each year.
Senior notes, repurchased price percentage on principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest	101.00%
Senior unsecured notes, maturity date	Mar. 24, 2025
Senior unsecured notes, redemption period	90 days
Senior unsecured notes, redemption description		Notes are redeemed prior to 90 days before maturity, the redemption price will be equal to 100% of their principal amount, plus a make-whole premium, plus accrued and unpaid interest up to, but excluding, the applicable redemption date. Within the period beginning on or after 90 days before maturity, the notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the applicable redemption date. The 3.325% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2025 are fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by us. In the event of a change of control, each holder of the notes may require us to repurchase some or all of our notes at a repurchase price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes plus accrued and unpaid interest up to, but excluding, the date of the purchase.
Redeemed Prior to 90 Days [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior unsecured notes, redemption price percentage	100.00%
Redeemed Beginning on or After 90 Days [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior unsecured notes, redemption price percentage	100.00%