MS-DRG Search

Search Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Group codes.

Endpoint

GET /v1/msdrg/search

Quick Start

Node.js

import { Fhirfly } from "@fhirfly-io/terminology";

const client = new Fhirfly({ apiKey: "YOUR_API_KEY" });

// Search for cardiac-related MS-DRGs
const results = await client.msdrg.search({
  q: "cardiac"
});

console.log(`Found ${results.total} DRGs`);
for (const item of results.items) {
  console.log(`DRG ${item.drg_code}: ${item.title} (${item.type})`);
}

Parameters

Text Search

Parameter	Description	Example
`q`	General text search across DRG titles and descriptions	`q=cardiac`

Filters

Parameter	Type	Description	Example
`mdc`	string	Major Diagnostic Category (01-25, PRE)	`05`, `PRE`
`type`	string	Surgical or medical classification	`SURG`, `MED`

Pagination & Response

Parameter	Default	Max	Description
`limit`	20	100	Results per page
`page`	1	100	Page number
`shape`	compact	---	`compact`, `standard`, `full`
`sort`	relevance	---	`relevance`, `code`, `title`

Example Response

{
  "facets": {
    "mdc": {
      "05": 92,
      "01": 45,
      "08": 38,
      "04": 32
    },
    "type": {
      "MED": 345,
      "SURG": 401
    }
  },
  "has_more": true,
  "items": [
    {
      "drg_code": "280",
      "title": "ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION, DISCHARGED ALIVE WITH MCC",
      "mdc": "05",
      "type": "MED"
    },
    {
      "drg_code": "231",
      "title": "CORONARY BYPASS WITHOUT CARDIAC CATH WITH MCC",
      "mdc": "05",
      "type": "SURG"
    }
  ],
  "limit": 2,
  "meta": {
    "legal": {
      "attribution_required": false,
      "citation": "CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual. CMS.gov. Accessed 2026-03-15 via FHIRfly.",
      "license": "public_domain",
      "source_name": "CMS MS-DRG"
    }
  },
  "page": 1,
  "total": 127,
  "total_capped": false
}

Use Cases

Filter by Major Diagnostic Category

Node.js

// Find all DRGs in MDC 05 (Diseases of the Circulatory System)
const results = await client.msdrg.search({
  mdc: "05"
});

Search Surgical DRGs Only

Node.js

// Find surgical DRGs for joint procedures
const results = await client.msdrg.search({
  q: "joint",
  type: "SURG"
});

Search Medical DRGs

Node.js

// Find medical DRGs for respiratory conditions
const results = await client.msdrg.search({
  q: "pneumonia",
  type: "MED"
});

Pre-MDC DRGs

Pre-MDC DRGs are assigned before the MDC classification step (e.g., transplants, tracheostomies):

Node.js

const results = await client.msdrg.search({
  mdc: "PRE"
});

MS-DRG search returns these facets:

Facet	Description
`mdc`	Distribution by Major Diagnostic Category
`type`	Distribution by surgical/medical classification

Major Diagnostic Categories

MDC	Description
PRE	Pre-MDC (Transplants, Tracheostomies, ECMO)
01	Diseases and Disorders of the Nervous System
02	Diseases and Disorders of the Eye
03	Diseases and Disorders of the Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat
04	Diseases and Disorders of the Respiratory System
05	Diseases and Disorders of the Circulatory System
06	Diseases and Disorders of the Digestive System
07	Diseases and Disorders of the Hepatobiliary System and Pancreas
08	Diseases and Disorders of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue
09	Diseases and Disorders of the Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Breast
10	Endocrine, Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases and Disorders
11	Diseases and Disorders of the Kidney and Urinary Tract
12	Diseases and Disorders of the Male Reproductive System
13	Diseases and Disorders of the Female Reproductive System
14	Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Puerperium
15	Newborns and Other Neonates with Conditions Originating in the Perinatal Period
16	Diseases and Disorders of Blood, Blood Forming Organs and Immunological Disorders
17	Myeloproliferative Diseases and Disorders, Poorly Differentiated Neoplasms
18	Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Systemic or Unspecified Sites
19	Mental Diseases and Disorders
20	Alcohol/Drug Use and Alcohol/Drug Induced Organic Mental Disorders
21	Injuries, Poisonings and Toxic Effects of Drugs
22	Burns
23	Factors Influencing Health Status and Other Contacts with Health Services
24	Multiple Significant Trauma
25	Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infections

Required Scope

msdrg.search

MS-DRG Search

Endpoint

Quick Start

Parameters

Text Search

Filters

Example Response

Use Cases

Filter by Major Diagnostic Category

Search Surgical DRGs Only

Search Medical DRGs

Pre-MDC DRGs

Facets

Major Diagnostic Categories

Required Scope

See Also

MS-DRG Search

Endpoint

Quick Start

Parameters

Text Search

Filters

Pagination & Response

Example Response

Use Cases

Filter by Major Diagnostic Category

Search Surgical DRGs Only

Search Medical DRGs

Pre-MDC DRGs

Facets

Major Diagnostic Categories

Required Scope

See Also

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