Working DRG assignment

cynthia.a.goewey

We are trying to see how other programs assign the working DRG. Once a case has been reviewed an initial DRG is assigned. When you send a query in an attempt to change the DRG do you immediately assign a working DRG to reflect the DRG you are hoping for or do you wait until the documentation to support the DRG change is in the medical record before assigning a new working DRG?
Thanks,
Cindy

Cindy Goewey RN, BSN
Clinical Documentation Specialist
Coding Operations
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
Phone: (603) 650-3891 / Fax: (603) 650-6787
Dartmouth-Hitchcock.org

cstukenberg

I do not assign a new DRG until I have supporting documentation. (The physician may not agree with the query.) This decreases confusion on the end coding side and the concurrent working DRG and potential length of stay.

Colleen Stukenberg MSN, RN, CMSRN, CCDS
815-599-6820

NormaB

I would like to know the responses for this as well!!

We currently assign the DRG we get on first review - not the one we expect to get with a Query. When the query is answered then we change the DRG to reflect the new documentation.

This is where having an encoder is really nice.

NBrunson,RHIA, CCDS

robert.hodges2

While I know what I'm looking for, I wait for the documentation. You can't take credit for it if it's not written down.

Robert

Robert S. Hodges, BSN, MSN, RN
Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist
Aleda E. Lutz VAMC
Mail Code 136
1500 Weiss Street
Saginaw MI 48602
 
P: 989-497-2500 x13101
F: 989-321-4912
E: Robert.Hodges2@va.gov
 
"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug." Samuel "Mark Twain" Clemens

judithbates

I never write anything on my w/s that is not on the chart. That way if there is a question about a diagnosis I know I saw it somewhere. That is when the final DRG assigned by coding comes back...If they say hey didn't see ABLA and I wrote it on my w/s, I know that I saw it in the chart.

Unknown

We assign a working DRG and if we write a query for more information that
will change the DRG, we assign a Query DRG with that.

Juanita B. Seel, RN
Supervisor Documentation Integrity
Greenville Memorial Hospital
Greenville, SC

stacy.vaughn

We assign a working DRG prior to the changes we suggests. We then
calculate the difference between the final coded DRG and the working DRG
to show the impact we made if the physician responds to our queries.

cynthia.a.goewey

Thanks for all of your responses. I see I am following the same process as you all do.
Thanks again,
Cindy