Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Percentage of ordinary taxable income to be distributed for real estate investment trust qualification	90.00%	90.00%	90.00%
Percentage of taxable income to be distributed for federal income tax assumption	100.00%
Amount of foreign income (loss) before income taxes	$ 10,700,000	$ 18,600,000	$ (100,000)
Amount of domestic income (loss) before income taxes	(44,100,000)	$ 8,000,000.0	$ 13,900,000
Valuation allowance not expected to be realized	5,900,000
Uncertain tax position liabilities and related interest or penalties	$ 0

Deferred tax assets valuation allowances expected not realized.

No definition available.

Name:	mpw_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowancesExpectedNotRealized
Namespace Prefix:	mpw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of ordinary taxable income to be distributed for REIT qualification.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Percentage of taxable income to be distributed for federal income tax exemption.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The portion of earnings or loss from continuing operations before income taxes that is attributable to domestic operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesDomestic
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The portion of earnings or loss from continuing operations before income taxes that is attributable to foreign operations, which is defined as Income or Loss generated from operations located outside the entity's country of domicile.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount accrued for interest on an underpayment of income taxes and penalties related to a tax position claimed or expected to be claimed in the tax return.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32718-109319

+ Details

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