DLM (ASCP) Exam Questions & Answers Test QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED SOLUTIONS (2026) ELABORATED &DETAILED
ANSWERS!!
1. Project Volumes (forecasting stage): based on expert opinion, stats, historical data, shifts in
patient mix, changes in medical statt composition, changes in inflation/reimbursement ratws, expansion/cutbacks,
population fluctuations based on economy
2. Steps to creating a budget: 1. project volumes
2. convert volumes to revenue
3. convert volumes into expense requirements
4. Adjust revenue/ expenses as necessary to meet budget margin
3. gross revenue: Rates x Production Unit (Billable test volume)
4. Expenses: salaries/wages, reference service, instrument lease, maintenance contracts, education/travel
5. Financial Statements: convey the financial status of an organization
4 main types - income statement, balance sheet statement of changes in equity and statement of cash flows.
6. income statement: summarizes the operations of an organization with a focus on its revenues, expenses,
and profitability. contains operational results over a period of time.
7. depreciation: noncash charge against earnings on income statement that reflect the "wear and tear" on a
business' fixed assets (property and equipment). loss of value
8. salvage value: amount received when final disposition occurs at end of the asset's useful life.
9. annual depreciation: (initial cost - salvage value)/ useful life
10. Profit: net income -expense
11. cashflow: net income + depreciation
12. Total Profit Margin: Net income divided by total revenues. It measures the amount of total profit per
dollar of total revenues.
13. fixed costs: cost not related to the volume of services delivered (ex. facilities cost, lab admin, instrument
leases, maintenance contracts)
,14. variable cost: directly related to the volume of services delivered (ex. supplies, labor costs)
15. Profit Analysis: technique use to analyze the ettects of volume changes on profit. can also be used to
analyze ettects of volume changes on costs.
16. Total Costs: fixed costs + variable costs
Variable costs = variable cost rate x volume
17. contribution margin: ditterence between per unit revenue and per unit variable cost. gives the amount
left to cover the fixed costs. after fixed costs are covered what's left contributes to the profit.
, 18. accounting breakeven: Volume needed to produce zero profit. Revenues cover all accounting costs.
Total Revenue (cost x volume) - Total Variable (variable cost rate x volume) - fixed costs = $0
19. economic breakeven: occurs when all accounting costs plus a profit target are covered
total revenue - total variable cost- fixed cost = profit
20. Surcharge/Cost Plus: used for reference/send out testing. Determine cost of doing a procedure then
add markup factor to get appropriate price.
21. weight value basis: each test performed is assigned a weight based on cost of performing the test in
relation to the procedure.
22. patient day factor: the number of patients in a hospital on a given day.
(average patient day/ daily census for the year) x 365
23. tests per patient days: test volume/ patient days
24. revenue per test: gross revenue/test volume
25. direct costs: test-specific costs (Variable)
examples - supplies, instrumentation, reagents, tech time
26. indirect cost: remain constant
examples - lab admin, medical records, house keeping, utilities, etc. (fixed/semi-variable)
27. unit costs: total direct + indirect expenses
28. Employment cycle: covers all stages in the process of employing statt:
1. recruitment and acquisition costs (pre-employment screen)
2. training/developmental costs (ongoing)
3. productive/operational periods
4. termination/separation of employee from institution costs
29. analyze labor costs: institutional labor cost evaluation (employment cycle)
technical evaluation of labor cost - assign labor costs to production activities that generate expenses. helps manager
identify where ettorts are being expended and productivity
accounting and budgeting labor analysis - helps monitor staflng levels, productivity and management performance
against budget objectives
30. preanalytical time: specimen collection, prep, instrument
31. analytical time: performing/resulting tests
32. post analytical time: reporting and routine maintenance
33. total hours: productive hours + nonproductive hours
VERIFIED SOLUTIONS (2026) ELABORATED &DETAILED
ANSWERS!!
1. Project Volumes (forecasting stage): based on expert opinion, stats, historical data, shifts in
patient mix, changes in medical statt composition, changes in inflation/reimbursement ratws, expansion/cutbacks,
population fluctuations based on economy
2. Steps to creating a budget: 1. project volumes
2. convert volumes to revenue
3. convert volumes into expense requirements
4. Adjust revenue/ expenses as necessary to meet budget margin
3. gross revenue: Rates x Production Unit (Billable test volume)
4. Expenses: salaries/wages, reference service, instrument lease, maintenance contracts, education/travel
5. Financial Statements: convey the financial status of an organization
4 main types - income statement, balance sheet statement of changes in equity and statement of cash flows.
6. income statement: summarizes the operations of an organization with a focus on its revenues, expenses,
and profitability. contains operational results over a period of time.
7. depreciation: noncash charge against earnings on income statement that reflect the "wear and tear" on a
business' fixed assets (property and equipment). loss of value
8. salvage value: amount received when final disposition occurs at end of the asset's useful life.
9. annual depreciation: (initial cost - salvage value)/ useful life
10. Profit: net income -expense
11. cashflow: net income + depreciation
12. Total Profit Margin: Net income divided by total revenues. It measures the amount of total profit per
dollar of total revenues.
13. fixed costs: cost not related to the volume of services delivered (ex. facilities cost, lab admin, instrument
leases, maintenance contracts)
,14. variable cost: directly related to the volume of services delivered (ex. supplies, labor costs)
15. Profit Analysis: technique use to analyze the ettects of volume changes on profit. can also be used to
analyze ettects of volume changes on costs.
16. Total Costs: fixed costs + variable costs
Variable costs = variable cost rate x volume
17. contribution margin: ditterence between per unit revenue and per unit variable cost. gives the amount
left to cover the fixed costs. after fixed costs are covered what's left contributes to the profit.
, 18. accounting breakeven: Volume needed to produce zero profit. Revenues cover all accounting costs.
Total Revenue (cost x volume) - Total Variable (variable cost rate x volume) - fixed costs = $0
19. economic breakeven: occurs when all accounting costs plus a profit target are covered
total revenue - total variable cost- fixed cost = profit
20. Surcharge/Cost Plus: used for reference/send out testing. Determine cost of doing a procedure then
add markup factor to get appropriate price.
21. weight value basis: each test performed is assigned a weight based on cost of performing the test in
relation to the procedure.
22. patient day factor: the number of patients in a hospital on a given day.
(average patient day/ daily census for the year) x 365
23. tests per patient days: test volume/ patient days
24. revenue per test: gross revenue/test volume
25. direct costs: test-specific costs (Variable)
examples - supplies, instrumentation, reagents, tech time
26. indirect cost: remain constant
examples - lab admin, medical records, house keeping, utilities, etc. (fixed/semi-variable)
27. unit costs: total direct + indirect expenses
28. Employment cycle: covers all stages in the process of employing statt:
1. recruitment and acquisition costs (pre-employment screen)
2. training/developmental costs (ongoing)
3. productive/operational periods
4. termination/separation of employee from institution costs
29. analyze labor costs: institutional labor cost evaluation (employment cycle)
technical evaluation of labor cost - assign labor costs to production activities that generate expenses. helps manager
identify where ettorts are being expended and productivity
accounting and budgeting labor analysis - helps monitor staflng levels, productivity and management performance
against budget objectives
30. preanalytical time: specimen collection, prep, instrument
31. analytical time: performing/resulting tests
32. post analytical time: reporting and routine maintenance
33. total hours: productive hours + nonproductive hours
