What Is DPC?

DPC stands for Diagnosis Procedure Combination. It is a patient classification system developed in Japan primarily for acute inpatient care.

Patients are classified into groups based on combinations of clinical factors, including the principal diagnosis, surgeries, procedures, comorbidities, and complications. This common classification makes it possible to compare patterns of care, length of stay, and healthcare resource utilization across hospitals.

DPC itself is a classification system, not a payment method.

The reimbursement system that uses DPC classifications is called DPC/PDPS (Diagnosis Procedure Combination / Per-Diem Payment System). Under DPC/PDPS, certain inpatient services are reimbursed using a bundled per-diem payment, while services such as surgery are reimbursed separately on a fee-for-service basis.