Reimbursement of burns by DRG in four European countries: An analysis

PurposeTo analyze the German, Austrian, Italian and Spanish Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG)-systems regarding burns.MethodsWe analyzed 78 cases of inpatients with burns which were processed by national DRG-groupers. DRGs were linked to thresholds concerning length of stay as well as reimbursement tables of the respective countries.Main findingsFifty-one % of cases showed higher reimbursement in Germany compared to Austria, 55% compared to Italy and 67% as against Spain. Total proceeds are highest in Austria with 1 577 000 €, followed by Italy with 1 569 000 €, Germany with 1 502 000 € and Spain with 902 596 €. No correlation was found between macroeconomic key figures and our data.ConclusionsInternational comparison of reimbursement of burns by DRG could be a useful instrument for benchmarking while not depending solely on political decisions or country-specific cost data. For better comparability, hospital indices based on healthcare baskets should be discussed.