Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Operating activities
Net income	$ 1,018,477	$ 291,238	$ 225,937
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	141,492	131,979	97,601
Amortization of deferred financing costs and debt discount	7,363	6,521	7,613
Direct financing lease interest accretion	(9,783)	(9,933)	(9,120)
Straight-line rent revenue	(90,811)	(70,808)	(41,567)
Share / (Unit)-based compensation expense	16,505	9,949	7,942
Gain from sale of real estate and other, net	(719,392)	(7,431)	(61,224)
Impairment charges	48,007		7,229
Straight-line rent and other write-off	18,002	5,340	3,063
Debt refinancing costs		32,574	22,539
Other adjustments	(3,768)	(1,204)	3,563
Changes in:
Interest and rent receivables	46,498	(21,116)	(13,247)
Other assets	(18,051)	(5,318)	(19,202)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	(5,596)	2,494	41,583
Deferred revenue	145	(2,050)	(8,872)
Net cash provided by operating activities	449,088	362,235	263,838
Investing activities
Cash paid for acquisitions and other related investments	(1,430,995)	(2,246,788)	(1,682,409)
Net proceeds from sale of real estate	1,513,666	64,362	198,767
Principal received on loans receivable	885,917	8,480	906,757
Investment in loans receivable	(212,002)	(19,338)	(109,027)
Construction in progress and other	(53,967)	(73,812)	(171,209)
Investment in unsecured senior notes			(50,000)
Proceeds from sale of unsecured notes			50,000
Other investments, net	(138,441)	(94,970)	(69,423)
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	564,178	(2,362,066)	(926,544)
Financing activities
Proceeds from term debt	759,735	2,355,280	1,000,000
Payments of term debt		(1,038,221)	(575,299)
Payment of deferred financing costs		(32,794)	(15,468)
Revolving credit facilities, net	(811,718)	550,415	(810,000)
Distributions paid	(363,906)	(326,729)	(218,393)
Lease deposits and other obligations to tenants	(20,606)	27,525	14,557
Proceeds from sale of common shares, net of offering costs	94,239	547,785	1,173,651
Other financing activities	(3,614)	(12,984)	(16,485)
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	(345,870)	2,070,277	552,563
Increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash for the year	667,396	70,446	(110,143)
Effect of exchange rate changes	(17,218)	16,920	(3,003)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of year	172,247	84,881	198,027
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year	822,425	172,247	84,881
Interest paid, including capitalized interest of $1,480 in 2018, $840 in 2017, and $2,320 in 2016	221,779	149,798	138,770
Supplemental schedule of non-cash financing activities:
Dividends declared, not paid	95,419	89,403	74,521
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash are comprised of the following:
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	171,472	83,240	195,541
Restricted cash, included in Other assets at beginning of period	$ 775	$ 1,641	$ 2,486
Restricted cash and cash equivalents, noncurrent, asset, statement of financial position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:OtherAssets	us-gaap:OtherAssets	us-gaap:OtherAssets
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of year	$ 172,247	$ 84,881	$ 198,027
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	820,868	171,472	83,240
Restricted cash, included in Other assets at end of period	1,557	775	1,641
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year	822,425	172,247	84,881
MPT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Operating activities
Net income	1,018,477	291,238	225,937
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	141,492	131,979	97,601
Amortization of deferred financing costs and debt discount	7,363	6,521	7,613
Direct financing lease interest accretion	(9,783)	(9,933)	(9,120)
Straight-line rent revenue	(90,811)	(70,808)	(41,567)
Share / (Unit)-based compensation expense	16,505	9,949	7,942
Gain from sale of real estate and other, net	(719,392)	(7,431)	(61,224)
Impairment charges	48,007		7,229
Straight-line rent and other write-off	18,002	5,340	3,063
Debt refinancing costs		32,574	22,539
Other adjustments	(3,768)	(1,204)	3,563
Changes in:
Interest and rent receivables	46,498	(21,116)	(13,247)
Other assets	(18,051)	(5,318)	(19,202)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	(5,596)	2,494	41,583
Deferred revenue	145	(2,050)	(8,872)
Net cash provided by operating activities	449,088	362,235	263,838
Investing activities
Cash paid for acquisitions and other related investments	(1,430,995)	(2,246,788)	(1,682,409)
Net proceeds from sale of real estate	1,513,666	64,362	198,767
Principal received on loans receivable	885,917	8,480	906,757
Investment in loans receivable	(212,002)	(19,338)	(109,027)
Construction in progress and other	(53,967)	(73,812)	(171,209)
Investment in unsecured senior notes			(50,000)
Proceeds from sale of unsecured notes			50,000
Other investments, net	(138,441)	(94,970)	(69,423)
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	564,178	(2,362,066)	(926,544)
Financing activities
Proceeds from term debt	759,735	2,355,280	1,000,000
Payments of term debt		(1,038,221)	(575,299)
Payment of deferred financing costs		(32,794)	(15,468)
Revolving credit facilities, net	(811,718)	550,415	(810,000)
Distributions paid	(363,906)	(326,729)	(218,393)
Lease deposits and other obligations to tenants	(20,606)	27,525	14,557
Proceeds from sale of common shares, net of offering costs	94,239	547,785	1,173,651
Other financing activities	(3,614)	(12,984)	(16,485)
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	(345,870)	2,070,277	552,563
Increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash for the year	667,396	70,446	(110,143)
Effect of exchange rate changes	(17,218)	16,920	(3,003)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of year	172,247	84,881	198,027
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year	822,425	172,247	84,881
Interest paid, including capitalized interest of $1,480 in 2018, $840 in 2017, and $2,320 in 2016	221,779	149,798	138,770
Supplemental schedule of non-cash financing activities:
Dividends declared, not paid	95,419	89,403	74,521
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash are comprised of the following:
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	171,472	83,240	195,541
Restricted cash, included in Other assets at beginning of period	$ 775	$ 1,641	$ 2,486
Restricted cash and cash equivalents, noncurrent, asset, statement of financial position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:OtherAssets	us-gaap:OtherAssets	us-gaap:OtherAssets
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of year	$ 172,247	$ 84,881	$ 198,027
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	820,868	171,472	83,240
Restricted cash, included in Other assets at end of period	1,557	775	1,641
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year	$ 822,425	$ 172,247	$ 84,881