Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (NYSE: MPW)

Medical Properties Trust, Inc. bridges the gap between the growing demand for high-quality healthcare and the ability to deliver it cost-effectively. Specializing in acute care, community and rehabilitation hospitals, this healthcare real estate investment trust (REIT) provides operators access to capital for facility improvements, technology upgrades, staff additions and new construction through long-term net leases of real estate assets. By reinvesting non-earning assets into operations, MPT clients are able to participate in the growth of the largest sector of the U.S. economy.

STATEMENT FROM OUR CEO ON THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

March 23, 2020 - The world has been hit with an unprecedented situation with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Hospitals around the world are stepping up to the challenge and seeking to meet the urgent healthcare needs created by this pandemic.

Medical Properties Trust owns hospitals in some of the hardest hit countries in Europe and, of course, throughout the United States. We are in frequent direct contact with our largest tenants in these regions. In Italy and Spain, our operators are working with the respective governments to make their beds available primarily to treat non-COVID-19 patients, thereby freeing space in other hospitals. Some of these operators also have a small number of COVID-19 patients at this time. We also own interests in hospitals in Switzerland, another hard hit country. Similar to other European governments, Swiss officials have already established significant additional hospital funding to help pay for the treatment of COVID-19 patients there.

In addition, we own 40 hospitals in the United Kingdom, although our operators there are not yet treating many COVID-19 patients. However, as with the other major private hospitals in the United Kingdom, these operators have reached an agreement with the UK government to provide various services under the direction of the NHS and will be reimbursed their cost.