M
edical Properties Trust provided significant funding for Steward's nationwide expansion, purchasing hospitals at elevated prices. This investment propelled Steward into the position of the country's largest private for-profit healthcare system, generating substantial revenue for MPT. However, beneath the surface, Steward struggled to manage its increased expenses, including rent payments, leading it to compromise on essential medical costs such as staffing and equipment maintenance, potentially jeopardizing patient care. As a result, MPT took steps to support Steward financially, sometimes in secretive ways, to prevent its largest investment from faltering.