summary
background Little is known about diagnostic procedures in acute psychiatry.
aim To investigate the applicability of a structural diagnostic instrument in this setting and compare the results with clinical judgement.
method The assessment was based on the mini International Neuropsychiatric Interviewplus.
results There was poor agreement between the mini-plus diagnosis and clinical judgement and co-morbidity was under-reported.
conclusion There is a need for a structural diagnostic instrument and more attention must be given to clinical diagnostic procedures in acute psychiatry.