Aim. The first aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic validity of the Polish version of the PHQ-9 in hospitalised elderly Polish patients. The second aim was to find an optimal cutoff score for PHQ-9 to screen for a major depressive episode (MDE) (according to the Short Geriatric Depression Scale - SGDS). Method. The PHQ-9, SGDS and a personal questionnaire were all administered to patients age 60 and above, who were hospitalised in our clinic. Results. One hundred five people were examined (51.4% women) (mean age +/- SD 73.4 +/- 7.9 years). According to the PHQ-9 36(34.3%) people had MDE. The PHQ-9 showed significant positive internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.7) and the scores of each of its nine items positively correlated (0.31-0.68; p < 0.05) with the total score. The convergent validity with the SGDS was significantly positive (r=0.58; p < 0.05). Using > 6 pts as the cutoff point, the sensitivity and specificity of the PHQ-9 for recognising MDE (according to SGDS) were found to be 70.4% and 78.2% respectively. Conclusions. The Polish version of the PHQ-9 is a valid and useful tool for depression screening and a score of > 6 is the optimal cutoff point for the hospitalised elderly