Bug Fix For DRGFilt

When validating some of our other software, we discovered a long-standing bug in our DRGFilt product which supports ICD10 codes, both the Linux and Windows implementations. This bug is in versions v33, v34 and v34a, v35 and v35a, v36 and v37.

The patched versions are as follows:

• v33a
• v34b
• v35b
• v36a
• v37a

The bug does not affect DRG assignment; it only affects reporting of the DRG weight. Specifically, unpatched executables  report the DRG weight as 10 times greater than it is. Thus 1.2345 was reported as 12.3450.

The good news is that if you are using the weights for their usual purpose, predicting relative resource consumption, you code worked because all the weights were increased by the same factor.

The bad news is that the weights were wrong.

Here are the steps we have taken to correct this issue:

1. We have patched the sources and built new DRGFilt executables: v33a, v34b, v35a, v36a and v37a.
2. We have sent updated versions to any and all clients who purchased the buggy products.
3. We have updated our on-line store with the new executables.
4. We have posted this message on our Tech Blog
5. We are updating our QA process to make sure that we do not have weight reporting problems ever again.

V34a update #1

Patching the logic to match the new definition was more complicated that our initial assessment indicated.

Discovering that yet another MDC has been added to the "ok to have an invalid Sex" list was also both unexpected and time-consuming.

For the record, we find that matching the DRG assignments in the official test database requires that allow invalid sex for MDCs 8, 14 and 25.

Our DAE validation is done, our demo web site has been updated and we are not going to make our target of end-of-business today (2016-11-17) for the re-release, but we should be able to complete the re-release by early tomorrow (2016-11-17).

V34 Errata From NTIS (our version v34a, their v34 release 3)

Today is Tuesday, November 15th, 2016. Last Friday, an unexpected delivery from NTIS (who distribute the office US Federal DRG implementation on which we base our implementation) showed up in our mail.

This delivery contained a disc we had not ordered and a notice from NTIS that the official V34 R2 (release 2) had issues and so there was an R3. Here is alink to the official Errata documents: https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/AcuteInpatientPPS/Downloads/FY2017-CMS-1655-FR-MS-DRG.zip

We spent the weekend reviewing the changes and deciding what we should do. Given what we found (logic and code attribute changes), here is our plan:

(a) Do a re-release as quickly as possible, offering a free upgrade to all customers who bought the initial release.

(b) Accept that the "v34" as version tag is associated with the initial, erroneous release.

(c) Use "v34a" in software version tags and in the executable file names and distribution files which supercede the initial release and so users can more easily tell if they have the corrected software (we realize that this may also cause users to have to change configuration scripts, etc, but we felt that certainty about having the corrected version was paramount). NOTE: We are not changing configuration file names as such v34.ini for DRGFilt as there is no need.

(d) Try to keep our grumbling about what a pain in the neck this is to ourselves as much as possible. Suffice it to say we know this is a drag for those of you who bought the initial release and we feel your pain.

We spent yesterday, Monday, figuring out how to schedule this internally and what, exactly, needs to be revisited.

Today the real work starts. We hope to have a new release live on the Website by the close of business tomorrow, Wednesday and to be re-filling already-filled orders on Thursday and Friday.