All patients admitted to one firm of the Department of Medicine were psychiatrically evaluated in terms of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM III, 1980) criteria. Thirty-three per cent of the patients had treatable psychiatric disorders while only 3.5% of admissions to a comparable firm of the same department were referred for psychiatric consultation (P < 0.05). These data support the need for a more comprehensive liaison psychiatric service than a mere consultation service in the general hospital.