Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Operating activities
Net income	$ 76,291	$ 91,043
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	34,675	37,858
Amortization of deferred financing costs and debt discount	1,827	1,789
Direct financing lease interest accretion	(2,337)	(2,340)
Straight-line rent revenue	(23,959)	(20,377)
Share / (Unit)-based compensation expense	6,715	1,856
Gain from sale of real estate, net		(1,467)
Straight-line rent and other write-off, net of tax benefit	2,596	6,059
Other adjustments	2,249	(3,217)
Changes in:
Interest and rent receivables	(1,193)	(3,678)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	(9,940)	(12,729)
Net cash provided by operating activities	86,924	94,797
Investing activities
Cash paid for acquisitions and other related investments	(6,492)
Net proceeds from sale of real estate		148,809
Principal received on loans receivable	420	1,734
Investment in loans receivable	(1,185)	(149,080)
Construction in progress and other	(160,736)	(8,399)
Net cash used for investing activities	(167,993)	(6,936)
Financing activities
Revolving credit facilities, net	9,097	(33,590)
Distributions paid	(95,419)	(89,403)
Lease deposits and other obligations to tenants	3,677	1,299
Proceeds from sale of common shares, net of offering costs	354,030	(94)
Debt issuance costs paid and other financing activities	(677)	(1,549)
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	270,708	(123,337)
Increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash for period	189,639	(35,476)
Effect of exchange rate changes	(11,450)	2,774
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	822,425	172,247
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	1,000,614	139,545
Interest paid	51,296	57,025
Supplemental schedule of non-cash financing activities:
Distributions declared, unpaid	97,163	91,411
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash are comprised of the following:
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	820,868	171,472
Restricted cash, included in Other assets at beginning of period	$ 1,557	$ 775
Restricted cash and cash equivalents, noncurrent, asset, statement of financial position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:OtherAssets	us-gaap:OtherAssets
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	$ 822,425	$ 172,247
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	995,548	138,314
Restricted cash, included in Other assets at end of period	$ 5,066	$ 1,231
Restricted cash and cash equivalents, noncurrent, asset, statement of financial position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:OtherAssets	us-gaap:OtherAssets
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	$ 1,000,614	$ 139,545
MPT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Operating activities
Net income	76,291	91,043
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	34,675	37,858
Amortization of deferred financing costs and debt discount	1,827	1,789
Direct financing lease interest accretion	(2,337)	(2,340)
Straight-line rent revenue	(23,959)	(20,377)
Share / (Unit)-based compensation expense	6,715	1,856
Gain from sale of real estate, net		(1,467)
Straight-line rent and other write-off, net of tax benefit	2,596	6,059
Other adjustments	2,249	(3,217)
Changes in:
Interest and rent receivables	(1,193)	(3,678)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	(9,940)	(12,729)
Net cash provided by operating activities	86,924	94,797
Investing activities
Cash paid for acquisitions and other related investments	(6,492)
Net proceeds from sale of real estate		148,809
Principal received on loans receivable	420	1,734
Investment in loans receivable	(1,185)	(149,080)
Construction in progress and other	(160,736)	(8,399)
Net cash used for investing activities	(167,993)	(6,936)
Financing activities
Revolving credit facilities, net	9,097	(33,590)
Distributions paid	(95,419)	(89,403)
Lease deposits and other obligations to tenants	3,677	1,299
Proceeds from sale of units, net of offering costs	354,030	(94)
Debt issuance costs paid and other financing activities	(677)	(1,549)
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	270,708	(123,337)
Increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash for period	189,639	(35,476)
Effect of exchange rate changes	(11,450)	2,774
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	822,425	172,247
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	1,000,614	139,545
Interest paid	51,296	57,025
Supplemental schedule of non-cash financing activities:
Distributions declared, unpaid	97,163	91,411
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash are comprised of the following:
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	820,868	171,472
Restricted cash, included in Other assets at beginning of period	$ 1,557	$ 775
Restricted cash and cash equivalents, noncurrent, asset, statement of financial position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:OtherAssets	us-gaap:OtherAssets
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	$ 822,425	$ 172,247
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	995,548	138,314
Restricted cash, included in Other assets at end of period	$ 5,066	$ 1,231
Restricted cash and cash equivalents, noncurrent, asset, statement of financial position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:OtherAssets	us-gaap:OtherAssets
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	$ 1,000,614	$ 139,545