Background

 

 DRG (Diagnosis Related Grouping):

DRG is a coding methodology that provides categorisation and characterisation of episodes of care received by patients admitted to hospital. DRG's quantify hospital admissions into measurable units (products) of health care delivery. Each DRG is specific and has a 'cost-weighting'. Many factors influence the costing represented in the DRG coding including:

• Complicating Factors;
• Co-Morbidity States;
• Secondary Diagnoses; and,
• Procedures Carried Out (during an episode of care)

DRG Coding allows hospital administrators to see exactly what type of activity their facility has undertaken in treating patients. This activity is known as "Casemix". This provides a method by which hospital administrators and governmental health agencies can plan and control hospital budgets in advance Through DRG financing.

 

 AR-DRG (Australian Refined-Diagnosis Related Grouping):

The AR-DRG is internationally recognised as a superior codification standard in terms of specificity and the level of research and development invested in it to maintain its standard.

 

Both the National Centre for Codification in Health (NCCH, a faculty of Sydney University), and the Australian Federal Government's Department of Health and Ageing (DOHA) have played significant roles in the continual maintenance and improvement of the AR-DRG. This is accomplished by no less than 3 university departments within the NCCH conducting a complete review, twice-yearly, after submissions are collected from clinicians and the public throughout Australia.

 

 ICD-10-AM (International Classification of Diseases version 10 - Australian Modified)

 

ICD-10 is a World Health Organization international standard diagnostic classification for all general epidemiological and health management purposes. It stands for International Classification of Diseases.

 

ICD-10-AM is the 'Australian Modified" version of ICD-10.