Codes for diseases and procedures are the basic ingredients of the casemix recipe. However, the coding function was not invented for casemix. The need to classify and measure has been around for centuries
Allied to this need to impose order by classifying is the need to define the elements of a disease or procedure so that the meaning is clear and classification can take place. O'Rourke highlighted the importance of the meaning of medical terms in the context of doctor-patient communication in cardiology.3 Using codes to describe concepts is a shorthand way of ensuring a common understanding of the definition of that concept.
The introduction of casemix funding systems based on the classification of diseases and procedures has meant that disciplined attention has been paid to the reliability and validity of coded health data. The connection between the codes and the health dollar has turned the spotlight on coding previously used only to identify groups of similar patients for research, utilisation studies or quality assurance.
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