I think a good hospital is invaluable for treating people who are going to harm themselves, or others, if not in an environment equipped to look after them and prevent them from doing so. But beyond that, from what I've seen (through friends being admitted, not myself) they can't do much. Just a holding ground to wait it out until meds kick in or an episode passes, really.

The two state run hospitals I visited gave me the creeps, they were absolutely awful. Grey, grim surroundings years out of date. Loads of patients, big group wards, people taking my friend's things and waking her up in the night with screaming. The private facility was slightly more cheerful because it was more like a hotel, and she had a semi private room which was much better. Though the friend who had been in both preferred the state place, perhaps simply because it was closer to home so we could all visit more often.