Real Estate Activities - Summary of Loans (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Loans [Line Items]
Mortgage loans	$ 1,275,022	$ 1,213,322
Acquisition loans	123,893	3,454
Other loans	420,939	369,744
Total	$ 1,819,854	$ 1,586,520
Mortgage Loans [Member]
Loans [Line Items]
Loans, Weighted Average Interest Rate	9.00%	8.80%
Acquisition Loans [Member]
Loans [Line Items]
Loans, Weighted Average Interest Rate	7.70%	10.80%
Other Loans [Member]
Loans [Line Items]
Loans, Weighted Average Interest Rate	5.70%	5.40%

Acquisition loans.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Loans.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mpw_LoansLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	mpw_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Other loans

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Interest rate of mortgage loan within investment in mortgage loan on real estate by entity with substantial portion of business acquiring and holding investment real estate or interest in real estate.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 12
-Paragraph Column B
-Subsection 29

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 948
-SubTopic 310
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-29(Column B))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6589523&loc=d3e617274-123014

+ Details

Name:	srt_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	srt_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The balance represents the amount of loans that are secured by real estate mortgages, offset by the reserve to cover probable credit losses on the loan portfolio.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(c))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119400593&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, after allowance for credit loss, of financing receivable. Excludes financing receivable covered under loss sharing agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119407570&loc=SL82919230-210447

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(3))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118952595&loc=d3e4428-111522

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_MortgagesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=mpw_AcquisitionLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=mpw_OtherLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: