Introduction Identifying conditions among all cause hospitalizations that could be prevented at the primary care level would allow the development of strategies to reduce the range of diseases treated in hospital and promote a more efficient utilization of resources. Objective We sought to evaluate hospitalizations for clinical conditions that are sensitive to primary care in adults. Methods Cross-sectional study with data captured in hospital electronic health records using the diagnosis related groups classification system. Results Primary care-sensitive conditions were associated with longer duration of hospitalization, older age, higher prevalence of female patients, higher complexity at admission and during hospitalization, and a higher risk of mortality as compared with other conditions not sensitive to primary care. Conclusion A significant proportion of hospitalizations are due to causes sensitive to primary care. Hospitalizations due to primary care-sensitive conditions are associated with longer hospital stay, greater complexity and severity, and a higher risk of mortality.