What is the working DRG?

• A. The DRG assigned after discharge
• B. The MS-DRG assigned while the CDI specialist reviews the record concurrently
• C. The DRG used for inpatient only
• D. The DRG is not used in CDI

Answer: (B)

The working DRG is the provisional DRG used during the patient’s hospital stay to guide concurrent CDI review and documentation improvement. It reflects what the DRG would be if discharge occurred now and is updated as new information becomes available, helping CDI teams target documentation changes that could alter the final reimbursement category. This is typically an MS-DRG since inpatient reimbursement relies on MS-DRGs, and the working DRG is part of the real-time review process, not the final post-discharge DRG.

The final DRG is determined after discharge by coders, not during the stay, which is why the option describing the working DRG as something assigned during concurrent review best fits. The notion that the DRG is not used in CDI or that it’s only for inpatient or after discharge doesn’t capture the real-time, concurrent role of the working DRG in guiding CDI activities.