Written by authors with extensive experience of these systems, this book is a product of the EuroDRG project and constitutes an important resource for health policy-makers and researchers from Europe and beyond. The book is intended to contribute to the emergence of a ‘common language’ that will facilitate communication between researchers and policy-makers interested in improving the functioning and resourcing of the acute hospital sector. The book includes:

• A clearly structured introduction to the main ‘building blocks’ of DRG systems
• An overview of key issues related to DRGs including their impact on efficiency, quality, unintended effects and technological innovation in health care
• 12 country chapters - Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden
• Clearly structured and detailed information about the most important DRG system characteristics in each of these countries
• Useful insights for countries and regions in Europe and beyond interested in introducing, extending and/ or optimising DRG systems within the hospital sector