[Diagnosis procedure combination and genetic tests].

Medical reimbursement based on diagnosis procedure combination (DPC) has recently been launched in Japanese university hospitals for inpatient care. DPC has already changed certain patterns of practice by medical staff, such as the reduction in length of stay and the introduction of critical paths. Although genetic tests are already essential and common in clinical medicine, most of them have not been covered by the older medical payment system. It is yet uncertain whether the present DPC system can cover the costs of molecular diagnostic tests. According to our simulation on the mutational analysis in familial nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, there may be a possibility for coverage within a small range of conditions, including certain outpatient examinations, short inpatient period, and essential molecular diagnostic procedures with the established staff and facilities.