Relative Weight represents what in the context of Case Mix Index?

• A. The resource intensity or clinical severity of a DRG group relative to other groups
• B. The length of stay for a typical case
• C. The hospital's total annual revenue
• D. The average patient age for DRGs

Answer: (A)

Relative Weight measures how much resource use a DRG typically requires compared with other DRGs. In Case Mix Index, each discharge is assigned a weight that reflects the DRG’s resource intensity or clinical severity. The CMI is essentially the average of these weights across discharges, so a higher weight means the hospital’s patient mix tends to require more resources on average. It’s not about length of stay, total revenue, or patient age.