Results of the physician practice pattern studies are most likely to promote behavior changes
when disseminated to the
A. practitioners
B. administration
C. governing body
D. quality committee - ANSWER A. practitioners - Practitioners have a vested interest in
this information since the data is about them
B. Not the best answer, because is bypasses the party most vested in the information
C. See B
D. See B
Data collected about surgical cases shows significant delays. Further analysis shows the fol-
lowing chart: Which of the following should a healthcare quality professional do first?
A. Perform a focused professional practice evaluation (FPPE) on every surgeon
B. Provide the service chief with further analyses of surgeon-specific data
C. Ask the nurse manager to write a memo encouraging promptness
D. Form a multidisciplinary team to develop recommendations for improvement - AN-
SWER B. Provide the service chief with further analyses of surgeon-specific data
A. Not required
C. Not beneficial
D. This could be done if further analysis is required.
When using cost-benefit analysis in decision making, it is important to remember:
A. consideration of the benefit is more important than the cost.
1
,B. return on investment should be at least 10 to 1.
C. implementation costs are more important than return on investment.
D. qualitative and quantitative data should be used. - ANSWER D. qualitative and quanti-
tative data should be used.
In addition to quantitative data such as cost, qualitative information such as patient experi-
ence should be considered when performing a cost-benefit analysis.
A. Benefit and cost should be equally considered.
B. Return on investment decisions vary by organization.
C. Importance of implementation costs vs ROI vary by organization.
A critical difference between quality assurance (QA) and quality improvement is a shift in fo-
cus from:
A. a retrospective review to concurrent screening.
B. nonclinical aspects to customer satisfaction.
C. identifying poor performers to improving group performance.
D. QA coordinators to teams. - ANSWER C. identifying poor performers to improving
group performance.
Quality improvement is focused on systems, processes, and groups to improve. Quality as-
surance is focused on monitoring problem areas or individuals.
A summary of antibiotic usage for the fourth quarter showed that an internal medicine de-
partment did not meet pre-established criteria in 82% of the patients reviewed. Following
review, the pharmacy and therapeutics committee should recommend that the results be
shared first with the:
A. utilization committee.
B. Quality Council.
C. governing body.
2
,D. chief of the department - ANSWER D. chief of the department
In a medical staff hierarchy, the chief or chair of the department has responsibilities for ad-
dressing departmental performance.
A. Doing this will bypass the owners of the process
B. See A
C. Utilization committee is not typically the first group that would address the pharmaceuti-
cal issue.
Which of the outcomes will result in a morbidity review?
A. normal deliveries
B. neonatal deaths
C. post-delivery septicemia
D. Cesarean sections - ANSWER C. post-delivery septicemia
This is a complication and a morbidity issue.
A. Not an example of morbidity
B. mortality related
D. See A
Comparing healthcare organizations by using medical error rates:
A. may present bias due to differences in reporting practices.
B. must include a minimum of 10 different facilities.
C. cannot be performed by facilities with less than 100 beds
D. provides the best method for benchmarking patient safety. - ANSWER A. may present
bias due to differences in reporting practices.
Bias will be present if there are no standards for reporting.
3
, B. You do not need 10 organizations to compare rates.
C. facilities should still be compared in a category with its number of beds
D. Using medical error rates is not necessarily the best method.
Empowerment gives the opportunity to:
A. solve problems.
B. make more money.
C. gain respect of peers.
D. achieve upward mobility. - ANSWER A. solve problems.
Empowerment is giving people autonomy and determination to enable people to overcome
their sense of powerlessness and lack of influence, and to recognize and use their resources.
B,C,D: May be a result, but not the best answer
A failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) provides which of the following types of review?
A. proactive.
B. retrospective.
C. concurrent
D. retroactive. - ANSWER A. proactive.
A hospital has recently moved to a paperless system. It is noticed that some data is missing
from the obstetrics delivery record. A healthcare quality professional should recommend:
A. assessing the need for additional education.
B. evaluating the computerized data entry process.
C. providing a paper trail.
D. designating one data entry person per shift. - ANSWER B. evaluating the computerized
data entry process.
4
when disseminated to the
A. practitioners
B. administration
C. governing body
D. quality committee - ANSWER A. practitioners - Practitioners have a vested interest in
this information since the data is about them
B. Not the best answer, because is bypasses the party most vested in the information
C. See B
D. See B
Data collected about surgical cases shows significant delays. Further analysis shows the fol-
lowing chart: Which of the following should a healthcare quality professional do first?
A. Perform a focused professional practice evaluation (FPPE) on every surgeon
B. Provide the service chief with further analyses of surgeon-specific data
C. Ask the nurse manager to write a memo encouraging promptness
D. Form a multidisciplinary team to develop recommendations for improvement - AN-
SWER B. Provide the service chief with further analyses of surgeon-specific data
A. Not required
C. Not beneficial
D. This could be done if further analysis is required.
When using cost-benefit analysis in decision making, it is important to remember:
A. consideration of the benefit is more important than the cost.
1
,B. return on investment should be at least 10 to 1.
C. implementation costs are more important than return on investment.
D. qualitative and quantitative data should be used. - ANSWER D. qualitative and quanti-
tative data should be used.
In addition to quantitative data such as cost, qualitative information such as patient experi-
ence should be considered when performing a cost-benefit analysis.
A. Benefit and cost should be equally considered.
B. Return on investment decisions vary by organization.
C. Importance of implementation costs vs ROI vary by organization.
A critical difference between quality assurance (QA) and quality improvement is a shift in fo-
cus from:
A. a retrospective review to concurrent screening.
B. nonclinical aspects to customer satisfaction.
C. identifying poor performers to improving group performance.
D. QA coordinators to teams. - ANSWER C. identifying poor performers to improving
group performance.
Quality improvement is focused on systems, processes, and groups to improve. Quality as-
surance is focused on monitoring problem areas or individuals.
A summary of antibiotic usage for the fourth quarter showed that an internal medicine de-
partment did not meet pre-established criteria in 82% of the patients reviewed. Following
review, the pharmacy and therapeutics committee should recommend that the results be
shared first with the:
A. utilization committee.
B. Quality Council.
C. governing body.
2
,D. chief of the department - ANSWER D. chief of the department
In a medical staff hierarchy, the chief or chair of the department has responsibilities for ad-
dressing departmental performance.
A. Doing this will bypass the owners of the process
B. See A
C. Utilization committee is not typically the first group that would address the pharmaceuti-
cal issue.
Which of the outcomes will result in a morbidity review?
A. normal deliveries
B. neonatal deaths
C. post-delivery septicemia
D. Cesarean sections - ANSWER C. post-delivery septicemia
This is a complication and a morbidity issue.
A. Not an example of morbidity
B. mortality related
D. See A
Comparing healthcare organizations by using medical error rates:
A. may present bias due to differences in reporting practices.
B. must include a minimum of 10 different facilities.
C. cannot be performed by facilities with less than 100 beds
D. provides the best method for benchmarking patient safety. - ANSWER A. may present
bias due to differences in reporting practices.
Bias will be present if there are no standards for reporting.
3
, B. You do not need 10 organizations to compare rates.
C. facilities should still be compared in a category with its number of beds
D. Using medical error rates is not necessarily the best method.
Empowerment gives the opportunity to:
A. solve problems.
B. make more money.
C. gain respect of peers.
D. achieve upward mobility. - ANSWER A. solve problems.
Empowerment is giving people autonomy and determination to enable people to overcome
their sense of powerlessness and lack of influence, and to recognize and use their resources.
B,C,D: May be a result, but not the best answer
A failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) provides which of the following types of review?
A. proactive.
B. retrospective.
C. concurrent
D. retroactive. - ANSWER A. proactive.
A hospital has recently moved to a paperless system. It is noticed that some data is missing
from the obstetrics delivery record. A healthcare quality professional should recommend:
A. assessing the need for additional education.
B. evaluating the computerized data entry process.
C. providing a paper trail.
D. designating one data entry person per shift. - ANSWER B. evaluating the computerized
data entry process.
4
