Impact of laboratory testing on DRG coding and reimbursement--results of a data base research.
We filed an Australian data base with about 7 million well-documented clinical cases for comorbidities, which can be proven, supported or excluded by laboratory testing and which have an impact on DRG reimbursement. The result was a list of 123 DRGs being shifted to a higher severity level by documenting one out of 157 complications. For better visualization of the more than 4,000 combinations, we developed a computer program, which allows the laboratory to develop its own diagnostic pathways for these complications in a simple Excel format.
Hoffman
Georg E
GE
University of Muenchen, Trillium GmbH, Grafrath, Germany. ghoffmann@trillium.de
Schenker
Michael
M
Wilke
Michael H
MH
D001315:Australia; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000191:economics*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms