Certified Revenue Cycle Representative (CRCR) Practice Exam

What code indicates the disposition of the patient at the conclusion of service?

1. Claim status code

2. Patient discharge status code

3. Admission type code

4. Diagnosis-related group code

The correct answer is: Patient discharge status code

The patient discharge status code is specifically designed to indicate the patient’s condition and status upon departure from a healthcare facility after receiving services. This code provides essential information about the patient's situation at the time of discharge, which may include whether the patient was discharged home, transferred to another facility, or expired. It plays a crucial role in hospital billing and coding, as it not only reflects the care provided but also affects reimbursement and continuity of care considerations. In contrast, the claim status code primarily relates to the status of submitted claims, such as whether they are pending, paid, or denied, and does not reflect the patient’s condition at discharge. The admission type code categorizes the reason for a patient’s admission to the hospital and does not provide insight into the disposition after care is concluded. The diagnosis-related group code, on the other hand, is used for billing purposes to classify hospital cases into groups that are expected to have similar hospital resource use, but it does not specifically address the patient’s status at discharge. Thus, the patient discharge status code is the most relevant and accurate choice for indicating the disposition of a patient at the conclusion of service.