Kerman University of Medical Sciences International Journal of Health Policy and Management 2322-5939 4 5 2015 05 01 Heterogeneity of European DRG Systems and Potentials for a Common Eurodrg System; Comment on “Cholecystectomy and Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs): Patient Classification and Hospital Reimbursement in 11 European Countries” 319 320 2979 10.15171/ijhpm.2015.53 EN Alexander Geissler Department of Health Care Management, Berlin University of Technology, Berlin, Germany Wilm Quentin Department of Health Care Management, Berlin University of Technology, Berlin, Germany 0000-0002-1705-6524 Reinhard Busse Department of Health Care Management, Berlin University of Technology, Berlin, Germany 0000-0003-4961-9130 Journal Article 2015 01 29 Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) systems across Europe are very heterogeneous, in particular because of different classification variables and algorithms as well as costing methodologies. But, given the challenge of increasing patient mobility within Europe, health systems are forced to incorporate a common patient classification language in order to compare and identify similar patients e.g. for reimbursement purposes. Beside the national adoption of DRGs for a wide range of purposes (measuring hospital activity vs. paying hospitals), a common DRG system can serve as an international communication basis among health administrators and can reduce the national development efforts as it is demonstrated by the NordDRG consortium. https://www.ijhpm.com/article_2979_2d71b2ae158c7c5912cc0bbde2bb9d95.pdf