Development of Case Mix Based Evaluation System in Japan.

DPC (Diagnosis Procedure Combination) is the Japanese original Case Mix system. The principal purpose of DPC introduction is not only for payment arrangement but also for modernization of the health system. To improve the quality of hospital management, to strengthen the responsibility of hospital for accountability, and to rationalize the health system are the three main objectives of the project. Based on the current DPC database, patients can know the clinical performance of each acute care hospital, such as volume stratified by diseases and disorders and related quality indicators. Furthermore, DPC data is used for regional health care planning. In this article, the author provides an overview of the DPC system with some examples.