CPHQ (Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality)
practice exam
Which of the following is the most effective way to integrate performance
improvement concepts throughout an organization?
A. quarterly newsletters
B. Monthly lectures
C. quality teams
D. continuous monitoring
Quality teams include participation by front-line staff, which allows direct integration of
performance improvement into practice.
Domain: Organizational Leadership
Which of the following is the best example of an outcome measure?
A. availability of computers
B. pathway compliance
C. mortality rate
D. laboratory turnaround
Mortality rate - an outcome measure is used to determine how the system or
improvement project impacts the patient.
Domain: Health Data Analytics
The quality improvement directory is responsible for the coordination of
accreditation survey activities. Responsibilities will most likely include:
A. facilitating self-assessments of compliance with standards, communicating
new requirements to pertinent parties, and distributing the agenda for the survey.
B. educating staff to all standards, writing the survey report, and completing the
survey application.
C. developing a protocol for a mock survey, conducting unannounced surveys,
and challenging the survey report.
D. preparing for unannounced surveys, disseminating the survey report, and
developing new standards
facilitating self-assessments of compliance with standards, communicating new
requirements to pertinent parties, and distributing the agenda for the survey - these are
essential functions for overseeing the accreditation process.
Domain: Organizational Leadership
Generic screening is an example of risk__________
A. evaluation
B. reduction
C. prevention
D. identification
Identification is the first step in disease management/ risk management
Domain: Patient Safety
,A medication error occurred and resulted in a severe adverse outcome. In
addition to informing the patient and/or family, a healthcare quality professional
should ______
A. perform a regression analysis
B. implement new technology
C. reassign the employees involved
D. conduct a root cause analysis
Conduct a root cause analysis - exploration of system and process issues should be the
primary function of a root cause analysis.
Domain: Patient Safety
According to continuous quality improvement principles, which of the following
concepts is most important?
A. financial impact
B. constancy of purpose
C. resistance of change
D. performance of individuals
Constancy of purpose
Domain: Organizational Leadership
One difference between continuous quality improvement and traditional quality
assurance is that quality improvement always
A. requires the application of statistical process control
B. excludes monitoring and evaluation of care provided
C. focuses on systems or processes
D. addresses potential problems
focuses on systems or processes - quality improvement is focused on systems,
processes, and groups to improve. Quality assurance is focused on monitoring problem
areas or individuals.
Domain: Organizational Leadership
Which of the following should a Quality Council provide to best ensure success
of performance improvement teams?
A. facilitator and recorder
B. empowerment and training
C. indicators and a data analyst
D. standards and procedures
Empowerment and training - these are two key elements for ensuring success for the
teams
Domain: Organizational Leadership
A root cause analysis team examined a serious medication error and
recommended changes. Which of the following should be done next?
A. Random checks for compliance should be made by patient safety staff
B. The Quality Council should review medication errors quarterly
, C. The process owner should implement and assess effectiveness
D. Monthly reports should be sent to the regulatory body
The process owner should implement and assess effectiveness - the recommended
changes need to be assigned ownership
Domain: Patient safety
When errors are discovered, staff and supervisors best demonstrate a culture of
safety by
A. developing a plan for just-in-time training
B. studying the process to understand the error
C. planning which details of the error to disclose to senior leadership
D. performing a root cause analysis to determine which individuals were involved
Studying the process to understand the error - this is a foundational statement
Domain: Patient Safety
An organization can best measure its effectiveness in meeting customer
expectations by
A. analyzing satisfaction data
B. benchmarking occupancy rates
C. creating a run chart of complaints
D. tracking length of stay
Analyzing satisfaction data - satisfaction data evaluates customer satisfaction
Domain: Health Data Analytics
A clinical pathway on the management of hip fractures has been developed by a
multi-disciplinary teams and implemented in a large teaching hospital. After
monitoring for 6 months, the length of stay continues to exceed the guidelines.
Which of the following should be the next step?
A. evaluate compliance with the pathway
B. correlate the pathway with staffing levels
C. re-educate the staff on the purpose of the pathway
D. continue to monitor, and collect additional data
Evaluate compliance with the pathway - evaluation of compliance with the proven
pathway should be conducted first to see if that may be influencing the lack of change in
the outcome
Domain: Organizational Leadership
A policy for "time-outs" in an operating room was initiated in the first quarter. The
second quarter data demonstrated only 40% compliance with all elements of the
process. the first step the Quality Council should take is to
A. examine if the policy is clear and user-friendly
B. ask the nurses to identify non-compliant surgeons
C. continue to audit to confirm that a problem exist
D. create a letter for the CEO to send to all surgeons
examine if the policy is clear and user-friendly - since the process has changed it is
important to make sure it is clear and all understand.
practice exam
Which of the following is the most effective way to integrate performance
improvement concepts throughout an organization?
A. quarterly newsletters
B. Monthly lectures
C. quality teams
D. continuous monitoring
Quality teams include participation by front-line staff, which allows direct integration of
performance improvement into practice.
Domain: Organizational Leadership
Which of the following is the best example of an outcome measure?
A. availability of computers
B. pathway compliance
C. mortality rate
D. laboratory turnaround
Mortality rate - an outcome measure is used to determine how the system or
improvement project impacts the patient.
Domain: Health Data Analytics
The quality improvement directory is responsible for the coordination of
accreditation survey activities. Responsibilities will most likely include:
A. facilitating self-assessments of compliance with standards, communicating
new requirements to pertinent parties, and distributing the agenda for the survey.
B. educating staff to all standards, writing the survey report, and completing the
survey application.
C. developing a protocol for a mock survey, conducting unannounced surveys,
and challenging the survey report.
D. preparing for unannounced surveys, disseminating the survey report, and
developing new standards
facilitating self-assessments of compliance with standards, communicating new
requirements to pertinent parties, and distributing the agenda for the survey - these are
essential functions for overseeing the accreditation process.
Domain: Organizational Leadership
Generic screening is an example of risk__________
A. evaluation
B. reduction
C. prevention
D. identification
Identification is the first step in disease management/ risk management
Domain: Patient Safety
,A medication error occurred and resulted in a severe adverse outcome. In
addition to informing the patient and/or family, a healthcare quality professional
should ______
A. perform a regression analysis
B. implement new technology
C. reassign the employees involved
D. conduct a root cause analysis
Conduct a root cause analysis - exploration of system and process issues should be the
primary function of a root cause analysis.
Domain: Patient Safety
According to continuous quality improvement principles, which of the following
concepts is most important?
A. financial impact
B. constancy of purpose
C. resistance of change
D. performance of individuals
Constancy of purpose
Domain: Organizational Leadership
One difference between continuous quality improvement and traditional quality
assurance is that quality improvement always
A. requires the application of statistical process control
B. excludes monitoring and evaluation of care provided
C. focuses on systems or processes
D. addresses potential problems
focuses on systems or processes - quality improvement is focused on systems,
processes, and groups to improve. Quality assurance is focused on monitoring problem
areas or individuals.
Domain: Organizational Leadership
Which of the following should a Quality Council provide to best ensure success
of performance improvement teams?
A. facilitator and recorder
B. empowerment and training
C. indicators and a data analyst
D. standards and procedures
Empowerment and training - these are two key elements for ensuring success for the
teams
Domain: Organizational Leadership
A root cause analysis team examined a serious medication error and
recommended changes. Which of the following should be done next?
A. Random checks for compliance should be made by patient safety staff
B. The Quality Council should review medication errors quarterly
, C. The process owner should implement and assess effectiveness
D. Monthly reports should be sent to the regulatory body
The process owner should implement and assess effectiveness - the recommended
changes need to be assigned ownership
Domain: Patient safety
When errors are discovered, staff and supervisors best demonstrate a culture of
safety by
A. developing a plan for just-in-time training
B. studying the process to understand the error
C. planning which details of the error to disclose to senior leadership
D. performing a root cause analysis to determine which individuals were involved
Studying the process to understand the error - this is a foundational statement
Domain: Patient Safety
An organization can best measure its effectiveness in meeting customer
expectations by
A. analyzing satisfaction data
B. benchmarking occupancy rates
C. creating a run chart of complaints
D. tracking length of stay
Analyzing satisfaction data - satisfaction data evaluates customer satisfaction
Domain: Health Data Analytics
A clinical pathway on the management of hip fractures has been developed by a
multi-disciplinary teams and implemented in a large teaching hospital. After
monitoring for 6 months, the length of stay continues to exceed the guidelines.
Which of the following should be the next step?
A. evaluate compliance with the pathway
B. correlate the pathway with staffing levels
C. re-educate the staff on the purpose of the pathway
D. continue to monitor, and collect additional data
Evaluate compliance with the pathway - evaluation of compliance with the proven
pathway should be conducted first to see if that may be influencing the lack of change in
the outcome
Domain: Organizational Leadership
A policy for "time-outs" in an operating room was initiated in the first quarter. The
second quarter data demonstrated only 40% compliance with all elements of the
process. the first step the Quality Council should take is to
A. examine if the policy is clear and user-friendly
B. ask the nurses to identify non-compliant surgeons
C. continue to audit to confirm that a problem exist
D. create a letter for the CEO to send to all surgeons
examine if the policy is clear and user-friendly - since the process has changed it is
important to make sure it is clear and all understand.
