DRG-financing system is now an important mechanism for the funding of health service in most EU nations. This paper reviews the characteristics of hospitals, and their activities are covered under the DRG-financing system.
In most countries, the DRG-financing is applied in public hospitals as well as private hospitals with the exception of a few nations(France Spain, Denmark). And, the DRG-financing is used in the acute inpatient-care sector, there are limited exceptions when psychiatry and rehabilitation are included. Day surgery and daycare in most countries is covered by other specific system. As in European hospital doctors are salaried, their wages are included in the DRG-financing system. However, in some cases that is not included, doctors get a fee for services. Unusual and expensive treatments are not covered under DRG-financing system in most European hospitals and a few countries(Austria, Finland) allow them covered by the DRG-financing system. Outliers in most countries are not included in the DRG financing system.
|