(UHDDS) Chap.4
Admission Following Postoperative Observation - *A patient undergoing outpatient surgery may
require postoperative admission to an observation unit to monitor a condition that develops
postoperatively.*
Principal Diagnosis and " After study" - *The principal diagnosis is NOT the admitting diagnosis*
BUT the diagnosis found after workup or surgery that proves to be the reason for admission.
UHDDS application - Definitions and guidelines for selection of principal diagnosis and other
(secondary) diagnoses apply to:
*Acute care short-term hospitals*
*Long-term care hospitals*,
*Psychiatric hospitals*,
*Home health agencies*
*Rehabilitation facilities*,
*Nursing homes, and other settings*.
Uniform Hospital Discharge Data Set (UHDDS) - Used for reporting inpatient data in
*acute care,
short-term care, and
long-term care hospitals.*
Minimum set of items based on standard definitions to provide consistent data for multiple users.
Required for reporting Medicare and Medicaid patients.
, Many other health care payers use UHDDS for the uniform billing system.
UHDDS requiered data item - The UHDDS requires the following items:
*Principal diagnosis*
*Other diagnoses that have significance for the specific hospital episode*
*All significant procedures.*
Other items of general specific episode of care:
*Age, sex, and race of the patient,
Expected payer, and
Hospital's identification*
Principal Diagnosis- Definition and Importance - *Definition: The condition established after study
to be chiefly responsible for admission of the patient to the hospital*.
*Importance of correct selection:*
Significant in cost comparisons, in care analysis, and in utilization review.
Crucial for reimbursement because many third-party payers (including Medicare) *base reimbursement
primarily on principal diagnosis*.
*The principal diagnosis is ordinarily listed first in the physician's diagnostic statement*,
*but this is not always the case.*
1+ Always review the entire medical record