In the present study, clinical, epidemiological and management factors influencing the appropriateness of the 1076 admissions to a general Internal Medicine Section during one year are evaluated. 184 admissions (17%) corresponded to patients who did not meet the AEP (Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol) criteria for appropriateness. A remarkable finding was the low incidence of patients with inadequate admission in spite of social pressure, which we interpret as a consequence of an excessive demand for care and the subsequently low availability of hospital beds. Inadequate admission was more common in the younger age group than in patients over 64 years. Cardiovascular and respiratory disorders were more common among adequate admissions, whereas infective, neoplastic, and poorly defined conditions were more common among inadequate admissions. There were no differences in hospital stay between both groups. The patients who had been previously admitted had more commonly adequate admissions. A reduction in the inadequacy index could be achieved if diagnostic investigations were more speedily performed and a temporal hospitalization unit previous to admission were available.