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<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To examine the prognostic significance of fulfilling at least one of the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (AEP) criteria.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Prospective observational cohort study at medical admission units at a regional teaching hospital in Denmark. 3,050 consecutively admitted patients were included, median age 66 (IQR: 50-77), 48% female.</p> <p>We assessed the fulfilment of the AEP criteria and mortality data, length of stay, readmissions and co-morbidity. We analyzed the association between day of admission and time of day and compared the opinion of the admitting doctors and nurses on the relevancy of admission.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>61.9% of the patients fulfilled the AEP criteria. Patients fulfilling were older (p < 0.001), had a higher in-hospital mortality (p < 0.001), a higher 30-days mortality (p < 0.001), a longer length of stay (p < 0.001), more readmissions within 30 days (p < 0.001) and higher co-morbidity (p < 0.001). There were no association between day of admission and fulfilment of AEP criteria, but significantly fewer patients fulfilled the AEP criteria in the morning hours (p < 0.05). The nurses found 79.1% of the admissions relevant with a sensitivity of 84.8% and a specificity of 30.1% with a Kappa of 0.16. The doctors found 76.2% of the admissions relevant with a sensitivity of 86.4% and a specificity of 40.9% and a Kappa of 0.29.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Fulfilment of the AEP criteria adequately reflect increased morbidity and mortality of acutely admitted medical patients.</p>