August 4 2025
OASIS Answers
Categories: HHQRP

A Basic Overview of the Discharge Function Score Quality Measure

by Lori A. Marmon, PT, MBA, COS-C

Understanding the Discharge Function Score (DC Function) Quality Measure

The Discharge Function Score (DC Function) is an OASIS-based outcome measure that is a cross-setting quality measure, meaning it is consistent across all post-acute care settings, including home health.

This measure reports the percentage of an agency’s patients who meet or exceed their expected discharge function score. Importantly, this is home health’s first outcome measure using GG items from the OASIS as its primary data source—making accurate coding of these items essential for success.

GG Items Used in the DC Function Measure

Not all activities in GG0130 (Self-Care) and GG0170 (Mobility) are included in the DC Function calculation. For this particular measure, agencies should focus on the specific activities listed below:

GG0130 – Self-Care Activities Included

GG0130A – Eating
GG0130B – Oral Hygiene
GG0130C – Toileting Hygiene

GG0170 – Mobility Activities Included

GG0170A – Roll Left and Right
GG0170C – Lying to Sitting on Side of Bed
GG0170D – Sit to Stand
GG0170E – Chair/Bed-to-Chair Transfer
GG0170F – Toilet Transfer
GG0170I – Walk 10 Feet
GG0170J – Walk 50 Feet with 2 Turns
GG0170R – Wheel 50 Feet with 2 Turns*

*Note: GG0170R is only used in the score calculation when GG0170I (Walk 10 Feet) is marked “Activity Not Attempted” at both Start of Care/Resumption of Care (SOC/ROC) and at Discharge.

Guidance for Accurate OASIS Coding

To ensure valid and meaningful DC Function Measure data, agencies should follow this key coding guidance:

Direct observation is the preferred method to assess self-care and mobility. However, other acceptable sources include:
- Patient or caregiver report
- Assessment of similar activities
- Collaboration with other agency staff who have had direct patient contact
“Activity not attempted” codes should be used only when:
- The patient did not perform the activity
- You cannot determine the performance level from any valid information source (e.g., observation, report, or collaboration)

Getting Started with DC Function Performance Improvement

While the DC Function measure involves complex calculation methodology (detailed in the Downloads section of the Home Health Quality Measures page), agencies can begin by focusing on accurate collection and coding of the GG items listed above. This foundational step will strengthen your data integrity and help improve your agency’s Discharge Function Score outcomes.

Home health clinicians that are certified in OASIS can best support your agency’s OASIS accuracy and coding efficiency goals. Check out more on gaining the most prestigious designation in home health for OASIS accuracy: the Certificate for OASIS Specialist-Clinical (COS-C) .