Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Operating activities
Net income	$ 376,401	$ 1,018,477	$ 291,238
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	156,575	141,492	131,979
Amortization of deferred financing costs and debt discount	8,881	7,363	6,521
Straight-line rent revenue and other	(138,806)	(100,594)	(80,741)
Share / (Unit)-based compensation expense	32,188	16,505	9,949
Gain from sale of real estate and other	(41,560)	(719,392)	(7,431)
Impairment charges	21,031	48,007
Straight-line rent and other write-off	15,539	18,002	5,340
Debt refinancing and unutilized financing costs	6,106		32,574
Other adjustments	4,637	(3,768)	(1,204)
Changes in:
Interest and rent receivables	12,906	46,498	(21,116)
Other assets	(4,992)	(18,051)	(5,318)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	39,630	(5,596)	2,494
Deferred revenue	5,581	145	(2,050)
Net cash provided by operating activities	494,117	449,088	362,235
Investing activities
Cash paid for acquisitions and other related investments	(4,565,594)	(1,430,995)	(2,246,788)
Net proceeds from sale of real estate	111,766	1,513,666	64,362
Principal received on loans receivable	920	885,917	8,480
Investment in loans receivable	(54,088)	(212,002)	(19,338)
Construction in progress and other	(83,798)	(53,967)	(73,812)
Capital additions and other investments, net	(293,163)	(138,441)	(94,970)
Net cash (used for) provided by investing activities	(4,883,957)	564,178	(2,362,066)
Financing activities
Proceeds from term debt, net of discount	3,048,424	759,735	2,355,280
Payments of term debt			(1,038,221)
Payment of deferred financing costs	(30,186)		(32,794)
Revolving credit facilities, net	(65,736)	(811,718)	550,415
Distributions paid	(411,697)	(363,906)	(326,729)
Lease deposits and other obligations to tenants	(12,260)	(20,606)	27,525
Proceeds from sale of common shares, net of offering costs	2,533,210	94,239	547,785
Other financing activities	(19,871)	(3,614)	(12,984)
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	5,041,884	(345,870)	2,070,277
Increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash for the year	652,044	667,396	70,446
Effect of exchange rate changes	(6,478)	(17,218)	16,920
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year	822,425	172,247	84,881
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year	1,467,991	822,425	172,247
Interest paid, including capitalized interest of $3,936 in 2019, $1,480 in 2018, and $840 in 2017	211,163	221,779	149,798
Supplemental schedule of non-cash financing activities:
Dividends declared, unpaid	138,161	95,419	89,403
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash are comprised of the following:
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	820,868	171,472	83,240
Restricted cash, included in Other assets at beginning of period	$ 1,557	$ 775	$ 1,641
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, 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	$ 822,425	$ 172,247	$ 84,881
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	1,462,286	820,868	171,472
Restricted cash, included in Other assets at end of period	$ 5,705	$ 1,557	$ 775
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Asset, Statement of Financial Position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:OtherAssets	us-gaap:OtherAssets	us-gaap:OtherAssets
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year	$ 1,467,991	$ 822,425	$ 172,247
MPT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Operating activities
Net income	376,401	1,018,477	291,238
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	156,575	141,492	131,979
Amortization of deferred financing costs and debt discount	8,881	7,363	6,521
Straight-line rent revenue and other	(138,806)	(100,594)	(80,741)
Share / (Unit)-based compensation expense	32,188	16,505	9,949
Gain from sale of real estate and other	(41,560)	(719,392)	(7,431)
Impairment charges	21,031	48,007
Straight-line rent and other write-off	15,539	18,002	5,340
Debt refinancing and unutilized financing costs	6,106		32,574
Other adjustments	4,637	(3,768)	(1,204)
Changes in:
Interest and rent receivables	12,906	46,498	(21,116)
Other assets	(4,992)	(18,051)	(5,318)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	39,630	(5,596)	2,494
Deferred revenue	5,581	145	(2,050)
Net cash provided by operating activities	494,117	449,088	362,235
Investing activities
Cash paid for acquisitions and other related investments	(4,565,594)	(1,430,995)	(2,246,788)
Net proceeds from sale of real estate	111,766	1,513,666	64,362
Principal received on loans receivable	920	885,917	8,480
Investment in loans receivable	(54,088)	(212,002)	(19,338)
Construction in progress and other	(83,798)	(53,967)	(73,812)
Capital additions and other investments, net	(293,163)	(138,441)	(94,970)
Net cash (used for) provided by investing activities	(4,883,957)	564,178	(2,362,066)
Financing activities
Proceeds from term debt, net of discount	3,048,424	759,735	2,355,280
Payments of term debt			(1,038,221)
Payment of deferred financing costs	(30,186)		(32,794)
Revolving credit facilities, net	(65,736)	(811,718)	550,415
Distributions paid	(411,697)	(363,906)	(326,729)
Lease deposits and other obligations to tenants	(12,260)	(20,606)	27,525
Proceeds from sale of units, net of offering costs	2,533,210	94,239	547,785
Other financing activities	(19,871)	(3,614)	(12,984)
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	5,041,884	(345,870)	2,070,277
Increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash for the year	652,044	667,396	70,446
Effect of exchange rate changes	(6,478)	(17,218)	16,920
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year	822,425	172,247	84,881
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year	1,467,991	822,425	172,247
Interest paid, including capitalized interest of $3,936 in 2019, $1,480 in 2018, and $840 in 2017	211,163	221,779	149,798
Supplemental schedule of non-cash financing activities:
Dividends declared, unpaid	138,161	95,419	89,403
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash are comprised of the following:
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	820,868	171,472	83,240
Restricted cash, included in Other assets at beginning of period	$ 1,557	$ 775	$ 1,641
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, 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	$ 822,425	$ 172,247	$ 84,881
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	1,462,286	820,868	171,472
Restricted cash, included in Other assets at end of period	$ 5,705	$ 1,557	$ 775
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Asset, Statement of Financial Position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:OtherAssets	us-gaap:OtherAssets	us-gaap:OtherAssets
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of year	$ 1,467,991	$ 822,425	$ 172,247