The aim of the study was to examine the admission of suicidal patients to a psychiatric hospital. Patients admitted to the emergency and intermediate departments of Sanderud psychiatric hospital in 1991 were included in the study. 39% of the admissions were suicidal patients. Comparison was made between patients who had recently attempted suicide and those who had not. Those who had recently attempted suicide spent a slightly shorter time in hospital than those who had not. The patients who were admitted, tended to be younger than those who actually committed suicide. The average time spent in hospital was not so short that there was evidence of a "revolving door psychiatry" despite there being many short-term stays.