Segment Disclosures - Summary Information for the Reportable Segments (Details) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2016 facility	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) segment facility building	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) property
Segment reporting information, revenues
Number of reportable segments \| segment				5
Rental Revenues		$ 463,036	$ 482,367	$ 1,385,041	$ 1,418,714
Resident fees and services		170,752	155,290	500,717	367,141
Operating expenses		(188,747)	(173,515)	(545,827)	(441,888)
Segment NOI		455,818	472,917	1,373,811	1,371,770
Non-cash adjustments to NOI		1,509	(23,271)	1,254	(62,634)
Segment adjusted (cash) NOI		457,327	449,646	1,375,065	1,309,136
Addback non-cash adjustments		(1,509)	23,271	(1,254)	62,634
Interest Income		20,482	19,842	71,298	89,049
Interest expense		(117,860)	(122,157)	(361,255)	(357,569)
Depreciation and amortization		(142,874)	(134,704)	(425,582)	(369,629)
General and administrative expenses		(34,787)	(20,534)	(83,079)	(74,152)
Acquisition and pursuit costs		(17,568)	(1,553)	(34,570)	(23,350)
Impairments			(69,622)		(592,921)
(Loss) gain on sales of real estate		(9)	52	119,605	6,377
Other income, net		1,454	(572)	5,128	13,125
Income tax benefit (expense)		2,213	1,980	(48,822)	6,620
Less: HCP share of unconsolidated joint venture NOI		(10,777)	(8,775)	(33,880)	(27,803)
Equity (loss) income in unconsolidated joint ventures		(2,053)	8,314	(4,028)	33,916
Impairments of investments in unconsolidated joint ventures			(27,234)		(27,234)
Net income		154,039	117,954	578,626	48,199
Corporate Non-segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
Interest expense		(104,584)	(104,130)	(314,708)	(304,040)
General and administrative expenses		(34,787)	(20,534)	(83,079)	(74,152)
Acquisition and pursuit costs		(17,568)	(1,553)	(34,570)	(23,350)
Other income, net		1,454	(572)	5,128	13,125
Income tax benefit (expense)		2,213	1,980	(48,822)	6,620
Net income		(153,272)	(124,809)	(476,051)	(381,797)
Intersegment Eliminations
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental Revenues		53,814	48,595	160,779	141,892
Operating expenses		(43,037)	(39,820)	$ (126,899)	$ (114,089)
SH NNN
Segment reporting information, revenues
Number of properties disposed				2	9
SH NNN \| Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental Revenues		104,249	105,405	$ 319,976	$ 317,520
Resident fees and services		13		13	12
Operating expenses		(1,794)	(871)	(5,521)	(2,655)
Segment NOI		102,468	104,534	314,468	314,877
Non-cash adjustments to NOI		(1,003)	(2,312)	(8,464)	(8,853)
Segment adjusted (cash) NOI		101,465	102,222	306,004	306,024
Addback non-cash adjustments		1,003	2,312	8,464	8,853
Interest expense		(644)	(4,239)	(8,859)	(12,677)
Depreciation and amortization		(34,030)	(31,527)	(101,737)	(93,260)
(Loss) gain on sales of real estate				23,940	6,325
Net income		67,794	68,768	227,812	215,265
SHOP
Segment reporting information, revenues
Number of properties disposed \| facility	2
SHOP \| Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental Revenues			182		(7,127)
Resident fees and services		170,739	155,290	500,704	367,129
Operating expenses		(121,502)	(110,254)	(350,949)	(260,393)
Segment NOI		57,747	51,883	176,935	121,261
Non-cash adjustments to NOI		4,608	6,984	15,175	26,620
Segment adjusted (cash) NOI		62,355	58,867	192,110	147,881
Addback non-cash adjustments		(4,608)	(6,984)	(15,175)	(26,620)
Interest expense		(8,130)	(8,026)	(23,818)	(23,895)
Depreciation and amortization		(26,837)	(24,398)	(78,124)	(55,627)
Less: HCP share of unconsolidated joint venture NOI		(8,510)	(6,665)	(27,180)	(21,652)
Equity (loss) income in unconsolidated joint ventures		(3,517)	(3,291)	(8,477)	(5,917)
Net income		10,753	9,503	39,336	14,170
SHOP \| Intersegment Eliminations
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental Revenues		50,973	45,891	152,424	134,047
Operating expenses		(42,463)	(39,226)	(125,244)	(112,395)
Life science \| Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental Revenues		90,847	86,140	269,994	255,100
Operating expenses		(18,487)	(17,785)	(53,191)	(51,718)
Segment NOI		73,883	69,770	221,258	207,466
Non-cash adjustments to NOI		(314)	(2,673)	(1,545)	(8,635)
Segment adjusted (cash) NOI		73,569	67,097	219,713	198,831
Addback non-cash adjustments		314	2,673	1,545	8,635
Interest expense		(634)	(701)	(1,904)	(2,229)
Depreciation and amortization		(31,967)	(32,013)	(97,640)	(92,503)
(Loss) gain on sales of real estate				29,428
Less: HCP share of unconsolidated joint venture NOI		(1,523)	(1,415)	(4,455)	(4,084)
Equity (loss) income in unconsolidated joint ventures		778	706	2,263	2,123
Net income		40,537	36,347	148,950	110,773
Life science \| Intersegment Eliminations
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental Revenues		1,929	1,840	5,628	5,257
Operating expenses		(406)	(425)	$ (1,173)	(1,173)
Medical office
Segment reporting information, revenues
Number of properties disposed \| building				3
Medical office \| Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental Revenues		113,653	108,898	$ 331,881	307,881
Operating expenses		(44,738)	(43,008)	(129,715)	(121,330)
Segment NOI		69,269	66,204	203,217	187,479
Non-cash adjustments to NOI		(814)	(1,342)	(2,361)	(4,326)
Segment adjusted (cash) NOI		68,455	64,862	200,856	183,153
Addback non-cash adjustments		814	1,342	2,361	4,326
Interest expense		(1,608)	(2,540)	(4,899)	(7,458)
Depreciation and amortization		(41,111)	(37,151)	(120,432)	(102,748)
Impairments					(2,948)
(Loss) gain on sales of real estate		(9)	52	8,333	52
Less: HCP share of unconsolidated joint venture NOI		(354)	(314)	(1,051)	(928)
Equity (loss) income in unconsolidated joint ventures		462	(586)	1,541	(1,761)
Net income		26,649	25,665	86,709	71,688
Medical office \| Intersegment Eliminations
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental Revenues		502	464	1,503	1,395
Operating expenses		(148)	(150)	(452)	(467)
Other \| Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental Revenues		30,571	33,143	95,476	90,600
Operating expenses		(1,190)	(589)	(3,383)	(2,894)
Segment NOI		29,771	32,935	93,287	88,845
Non-cash adjustments to NOI		(1,140)	(770)	(1,926)	(1,633)
Segment adjusted (cash) NOI		28,631	32,165	91,361	87,212
Addback non-cash adjustments		1,140	770	1,926	1,633
Interest Income		20,482	19,842	71,298	89,049
Interest expense		(2,260)	(2,521)	(7,067)	(7,270)
Depreciation and amortization		(7,462)	(8,145)	(23,247)	(21,081)
Impairments			(69,622)		(111,509)
(Loss) gain on sales of real estate				57,904
Less: HCP share of unconsolidated joint venture NOI		(390)	(381)	(1,194)	(1,139)
Equity (loss) income in unconsolidated joint ventures		224		645
Net income		40,365	(27,892)	191,626	36,895
Other \| Intersegment Eliminations
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental Revenues		410	400	1,224	1,193
Operating expenses		(20)	(19)	(30)	(54)
QCP \| Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental Revenues		123,716	148,599	367,714	454,740
Operating expenses		(1,036)	(1,008)	(3,068)	(2,898)
Segment NOI		122,680	147,591	364,646	451,842
Non-cash adjustments to NOI		172	(23,158)	375	(65,807)
Segment adjusted (cash) NOI		122,852	124,433	365,021	386,035
Addback non-cash adjustments		(172)	23,158	(375)	65,807
Depreciation and amortization		(1,467)	(1,470)	(4,402)	(4,410)
Impairments					(478,464)
Equity (loss) income in unconsolidated joint ventures			11,485		39,471
Impairments of investments in unconsolidated joint ventures			(27,234)		(27,234)
Net income		$ 121,213	$ 130,372	$ 360,244	$ (18,795)

Adjusted NOI is a non-GAAP supplemental financial measure used to evaluate the operating performance of real estate. Adjusted NOI is calculated as NOI after eliminating the effects of straight-line rents, DFL non-cash interest, amortization of market lease intangibles and lease termination fees (“non cash adjustments”). Adjusted NOI is oftentimes referred to as “cash NOI.” The Company uses adjusted NOI to make decisions about resource allocations, and to assess and compare property level performance. The Company believes that net income (loss) is the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measure to adjusted NOI. Adjusted NOI should not be viewed as an alternative measure of operating performance to net income (loss) as defined by GAAP since it does not reflect various excluded items. Further, the Company’s definition of Adjusted NOI may not be comparable to the definition used by other REITs or real estate companies, as they may use different methodologies for calculating Adjusted NOI.

No definition available.