Opportunities, risks and policy implications of using health facility mortality data to inform DRG payment design under Ghana’s NHIS
Abstract Using mortality data to inform Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) design offers an opportunity to make provider payment systems more responsive to differences in clinical severity and resource needs. Mortality data could support refinement of case-mix classification and cost calibration, while providing a complementary signal for quality monitoring. Using Ghana as an example, this paper explores how facility-level mortality data could enhance the country’s maturing G-DRG system and inform broader reforms across low- and middle-income settings.
Authors
- Doris Osei Afriyie (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9062-7506)
- Clémentine Rossier (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2788-4718)
- Regina Titi-Ofei (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8753-6021)
- Hillary Kipruto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3879-1712)
- Justice Nonvignon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7484-9491)
- Anthony Adofo-Ofosu
Institutions
- University of Geneva (CH)
- Binghamton University (US)
- Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (CH)
- University of Ghana (GH)
- University of Health and Allied Sciences (GH)
- Management Sciences for Health (US)
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (CG)
- Ghana Health Service (GH)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Health Systems
- Published
- 2026-11-04
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s44401-026-00162-4
- Primary Topic
- Healthcare Systems and Reforms
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00