title: Understanding the financial implications of APGs (ambulatory patients groups).
abstract: The ambulatory patient group (APG) system, a new prospective payment system for reimbursing outpatient services, is being adopted by increasing numbers of third-party payers and may soon be used in the Federal Medicare program. APGs involve the grouping of healthcare services provided during a specified service period. Payment rates are complicated by the assigning of multiple APGs to a single patients encounter and by discounting schedules. APG cost management tools must be developed to assess the financial impact of this complex system.
authors.affiliation: Abbey & Abbey, Consultants, Inc., Ames, IA, USA.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Abbey
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Blount
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D010361:Patients / Q000145:classification*; D011445:Prospective Payment System / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States