Final answer:
In the Inpatient Prospective Payment System, assignment to a DRG begins with the patient's diagnosis and procedure codes. DRG stands for Diagnosis-Related Group and it is used to determine payment rates for inpatient hospital services.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the Inpatient Prospective Payment System, assignment to a DRG begins with the patient's diagnosis and procedure codes. These codes are based on the specific medical services provided during the inpatient stay. DRG stands for Diagnosis-Related Group, and it is a classification system used to determine the payment rates for inpatient hospital services.
Each diagnosis and procedure is assigned a code, and these codes are grouped into categories based on similar clinical characteristics and resource utilization. The assignment to a specific DRG is based on the primary diagnosis and any additional procedures or complications that may be present. The DRG then determines the reimbursement rate for the hospital.
For example, if a patient is admitted with pneumonia and also undergoes a cardiac catheterization during the hospital stay, the diagnosis codes for pneumonia and the procedure code for the cardiac catheterization would be used to assign the patient to the appropriate DRG.