[A trial of prospective payment system (DRGs/PPS) in Sendai National Hospital]

This study was undertaken to compare the difference between the total payment that was actually paid in accordance with the rules of DRGs/PPS, and the medical fee calculated by the present Japanese medical insurance system. From Nov. 1st '98 to Oct. 31st '99, the DRGs/PPS was applied to the 1,723(21.4%) out of 8,042 acute inpatients who were discharged after short-term stay. The total payment by the DRGs/PPS(yen 1,450,725,370) was smaller than the medical fee by the present Japanese insurance system(yen 1,504,686,240). In MDC (Major Diagnostic Category) 1(nervous system), 2(eye), 3(ear, nose, throat) and 4(circulatory system) the payment by the DRGs/PPS was greater than the fee calculated by the present medical insurance system. On the other hand, patients who belonged to the other 9 MDC groups paid smaller amounts by the DRGs/PPS. The major factors accounting for the difference(yen 53,960,870) between total payment DRGs/PPS and the fee by the present insurance system were period of hospital stay, treatment in the intensive care unit, complication, cancer chemotherapy, expensive surgical materials etc.