AR-DRG Version 10.0
Date published: 7 August 2022
The Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Groups (AR-DRGs) is a classification system, which provides a clinically meaningful way to relate the number and type of patients treated in a hospital to the resources required by the hospital. AR-DRGs group patients with similar diagnoses requiring similar hospital services.
AR-DRG Version 10.0 was approved by the Pricing Authority in April 2019 and was implemented from 1 July 2020 to price admitted acute episodes of care. AR-DRG Version 10.0 supersedes AR-DRG Version 9.0.
The development process has used clinical input, statistical analysis and extensive consultation with clinicians, jurisdictions and other health sector stakeholders. A major focus for this version was to review the complexity model, specifically the diagnosis exclusions, and its overall stability. Further detail on what was reviewed for AR-DRG Version 10.0 can be found in the Final Report.
The Definitions Manual for AR-DRG Version 10.0 is published as a set of three volumes which contain the following products:
- Volume 1: DRGs A13A–I80Z
- Volume 2: DRGs J01A–Z66Z
- Volume 3: Appendices
It is anticipated that AR-DRG Version 11.0 will supersede AR-DRG Version 10.0 and be applicable for separations from 1 July 2023.
The AR-DRG Version 11.0 Definitions Manual will be available to purchase from mid-July 2022 from the Lane Print website.
Additional resources related to Version 10.0 include:
- Final Report – outlines the changes made for AR-DRG Version 10.0 and details the refinement process and rationale for changes.
- Technical Specifications – details the methodology and technical specifications used in the development of AR-DRG Version 10.0, including:
- data preparation and modification
- Adjacent Diagnosis Related Group (ADRG) intervention hierarchy review
- derivation of the Episode Clinical Complexity Score (ECCS)
- ADRG splitting review.
- Descriptions – provides a full listing of long and short descriptions for Major Diagnostic Categories, Adjacent Diagnosis Related Groups and Diagnosis Related Groups.
- Definitions Manual Appendices – provides an electronic version of the appendices in AR-DRG Version 10.0 Definitions Manual Volume 3: Appendices:
- Appendix A: Diagnosis Code/MDC/ADRG Index
- Appendix B: Intervention Code/MDC/ADRG Index
- Appendix C: Diagnosis Complexity Level Exclusions
- Appendix D: Age and Sex Conflicts
- Appendix E: General Interventions
- Errata – provides amendments for typographical errors appearing in the printed manuals.
- Fact sheet – provides an overview of AR-DRGs and Version 10.0 development.
Please note that the purchase and use of these products are subject to licence arrangements.
Resources
Previous versions: