NR 532 EXAM PREP LATEST
Healthcare Operational
Planning & Management
ANSWERED
2023/2024
,1. What are the main components of a healthcare operational plan? How does it differ from a strategic plan?
- A healthcare operational plan is a document that outlines the specific actions, resources, timelines, and responsibilities
for implementing a strategic plan. It usually covers a shorter period of time (one year or less) and focuses on the day-to-
day operations of a healthcare organization. A strategic plan, on the other hand, is a long-term vision and direction for a
healthcare organization. It defines the mission, goals, objectives, and strategies for achieving them. It usually covers a
longer period of time (three to five years) and focuses on the big picture of the healthcare environment.
2. What are some of the key performance indicators (KPIs) that can be used to measure and evaluate the effectiveness
and efficiency of healthcare operations? Give examples of at least three KPIs and explain how they can be calculated
and interpreted.
- Key performance indicators (KPIs) are quantifiable measures that reflect the critical success factors of healthcare
operations. They can be used to monitor and evaluate the progress and performance of healthcare processes, activities,
and outcomes. Some examples of KPIs are:
- Patient satisfaction: This measures how satisfied patients are with the quality and delivery of healthcare services. It
can be calculated by using surveys, feedback forms, or online reviews. It can be interpreted by comparing the results
with benchmarks, standards, or expectations.
- Patient safety: This measures how safe patients are from harm or adverse events during their care. It can be
calculated by using incident reports, audits, or root cause analysis. It can be interpreted by identifying the causes,
effects, and trends of patient safety issues and implementing improvement actions.
- Cost-effectiveness: This measures how well healthcare resources are used to achieve desired outcomes. It can be
calculated by using financial statements, budgets, or cost-benefit analysis. It can be interpreted by comparing the costs
and benefits of different healthcare interventions, programs, or services and optimizing resource allocation.
3. What are some of the common challenges or barriers that healthcare managers face when implementing operational
plans? How can they overcome them?
- Some of the common challenges or barriers that healthcare managers face when implementing operational plans are:
- Resistance to change: This occurs when stakeholders (such as staff, patients, or partners) are reluctant or opposed to
accept or adopt new policies, procedures, or practices. It can be overcome by involving stakeholders in the planning
process, communicating the benefits and rationale of change, providing training and support, and addressing their
concerns and feedback.
- Resource constraints: This occurs when there is a lack or shortage of resources (such as staff, equipment, or funds)
needed to execute operational plans. It can be overcome by conducting a resource assessment, prioritizing and
allocating resources based on needs and goals, seeking alternative or additional sources of resources, and monitoring
and adjusting resource utilization.
- Uncertainty and complexity: This occurs when there is a high degree of unpredictability or variability in the
healthcare environment (such as changes in demand, supply, regulations, or technology). It can be overcome by
conducting a situational analysis, identifying and assessing risks and opportunities, developing contingency plans, and
adapting to changing circumstances.
4. What are some of the best practices or principles that healthcare managers should follow when developing and
implementing operational plans? Give examples of at least three best practices or principles and explain how they can
be applied.
- Some of the best practices or principles that healthcare managers should follow when developing and implementing
operational plans are:
- Alignment: This means ensuring that operational plans are consistent and coherent with the strategic plan and the
mission, vision, values, and goals of the healthcare organization. It can be applied by reviewing and updating
,operational plans regularly to reflect changes in the strategic plan or the healthcare environment.
- Participation: This means involving relevant stakeholders (such as staff, patients, partners, or regulators) in the
planning process to gain their input, feedback, support, and commitment. It can be applied by using participatory
methods (such as brainstorming, focus groups, or workshops) to identify needs, expectations,
preferences, and perspectives of stakeholders.
- Evaluation: This means measuring and assessing the results and outcomes of operational plans to determine their
effectiveness and efficiency. It can be applied by using appropriate methods (such as surveys,
audits, or interviews) to collect data on key performance indicators (KPIs), analyzing
data to identify strengths,
weaknesses,
gaps,
or areas for improvement,
and reporting
findings
and recommendations
to stakeholders.
ANSI Accredited Standards Committee X12N (ASC X12N) ✔✔Responsible for developing the
EDI standards used to share information needed for health insurance administrative transactions
Audit controls ✔✔The mechanisms that record and examine activity in information systems
Audit log ✔✔Or audit trail, an electronic footprint of the actions that occurred in a particular
file in an information system or that were performed by a specific individual
Audit trails ✔✔The record of information system activities, such as log-in, log-out,
unsuccessful log-ins, print, query, and other actions
Audit-reduction tools ✔✔Tools that review the audit trail and compare it to criteria specified
by the CE, which eliminates routine entries such as the periodic backups
, Authorship ✔✔The origination or creation of recorded information attributed to a
specific individual or entity acting at a particular time
Automated codebook encoder ✔✔An encoder that lists diagnoses and procedures in
alphabetic order much like the alphabetic index
Back-end speech recognition (BESR) ✔✔A speech recognition technology in which the
physician dictates in the traditional manner and an editor listens to the audio and reviews
the document created
Backscanning ✔✔The process of scanning past health records into the DMS so there is an
existing database of patient information, making the DMS valuable to the user from the first day
of implementation
Backward map ✔✔A map that links the two coding systems in the opposite direction,
moving from ICD-10 to ICD-9
Barcode medication administration record (BC-MAR) ✔✔See Electronic
medication administration record (EMAR)
Healthcare Operational
Planning & Management
ANSWERED
2023/2024
,1. What are the main components of a healthcare operational plan? How does it differ from a strategic plan?
- A healthcare operational plan is a document that outlines the specific actions, resources, timelines, and responsibilities
for implementing a strategic plan. It usually covers a shorter period of time (one year or less) and focuses on the day-to-
day operations of a healthcare organization. A strategic plan, on the other hand, is a long-term vision and direction for a
healthcare organization. It defines the mission, goals, objectives, and strategies for achieving them. It usually covers a
longer period of time (three to five years) and focuses on the big picture of the healthcare environment.
2. What are some of the key performance indicators (KPIs) that can be used to measure and evaluate the effectiveness
and efficiency of healthcare operations? Give examples of at least three KPIs and explain how they can be calculated
and interpreted.
- Key performance indicators (KPIs) are quantifiable measures that reflect the critical success factors of healthcare
operations. They can be used to monitor and evaluate the progress and performance of healthcare processes, activities,
and outcomes. Some examples of KPIs are:
- Patient satisfaction: This measures how satisfied patients are with the quality and delivery of healthcare services. It
can be calculated by using surveys, feedback forms, or online reviews. It can be interpreted by comparing the results
with benchmarks, standards, or expectations.
- Patient safety: This measures how safe patients are from harm or adverse events during their care. It can be
calculated by using incident reports, audits, or root cause analysis. It can be interpreted by identifying the causes,
effects, and trends of patient safety issues and implementing improvement actions.
- Cost-effectiveness: This measures how well healthcare resources are used to achieve desired outcomes. It can be
calculated by using financial statements, budgets, or cost-benefit analysis. It can be interpreted by comparing the costs
and benefits of different healthcare interventions, programs, or services and optimizing resource allocation.
3. What are some of the common challenges or barriers that healthcare managers face when implementing operational
plans? How can they overcome them?
- Some of the common challenges or barriers that healthcare managers face when implementing operational plans are:
- Resistance to change: This occurs when stakeholders (such as staff, patients, or partners) are reluctant or opposed to
accept or adopt new policies, procedures, or practices. It can be overcome by involving stakeholders in the planning
process, communicating the benefits and rationale of change, providing training and support, and addressing their
concerns and feedback.
- Resource constraints: This occurs when there is a lack or shortage of resources (such as staff, equipment, or funds)
needed to execute operational plans. It can be overcome by conducting a resource assessment, prioritizing and
allocating resources based on needs and goals, seeking alternative or additional sources of resources, and monitoring
and adjusting resource utilization.
- Uncertainty and complexity: This occurs when there is a high degree of unpredictability or variability in the
healthcare environment (such as changes in demand, supply, regulations, or technology). It can be overcome by
conducting a situational analysis, identifying and assessing risks and opportunities, developing contingency plans, and
adapting to changing circumstances.
4. What are some of the best practices or principles that healthcare managers should follow when developing and
implementing operational plans? Give examples of at least three best practices or principles and explain how they can
be applied.
- Some of the best practices or principles that healthcare managers should follow when developing and implementing
operational plans are:
- Alignment: This means ensuring that operational plans are consistent and coherent with the strategic plan and the
mission, vision, values, and goals of the healthcare organization. It can be applied by reviewing and updating
,operational plans regularly to reflect changes in the strategic plan or the healthcare environment.
- Participation: This means involving relevant stakeholders (such as staff, patients, partners, or regulators) in the
planning process to gain their input, feedback, support, and commitment. It can be applied by using participatory
methods (such as brainstorming, focus groups, or workshops) to identify needs, expectations,
preferences, and perspectives of stakeholders.
- Evaluation: This means measuring and assessing the results and outcomes of operational plans to determine their
effectiveness and efficiency. It can be applied by using appropriate methods (such as surveys,
audits, or interviews) to collect data on key performance indicators (KPIs), analyzing
data to identify strengths,
weaknesses,
gaps,
or areas for improvement,
and reporting
findings
and recommendations
to stakeholders.
ANSI Accredited Standards Committee X12N (ASC X12N) ✔✔Responsible for developing the
EDI standards used to share information needed for health insurance administrative transactions
Audit controls ✔✔The mechanisms that record and examine activity in information systems
Audit log ✔✔Or audit trail, an electronic footprint of the actions that occurred in a particular
file in an information system or that were performed by a specific individual
Audit trails ✔✔The record of information system activities, such as log-in, log-out,
unsuccessful log-ins, print, query, and other actions
Audit-reduction tools ✔✔Tools that review the audit trail and compare it to criteria specified
by the CE, which eliminates routine entries such as the periodic backups
, Authorship ✔✔The origination or creation of recorded information attributed to a
specific individual or entity acting at a particular time
Automated codebook encoder ✔✔An encoder that lists diagnoses and procedures in
alphabetic order much like the alphabetic index
Back-end speech recognition (BESR) ✔✔A speech recognition technology in which the
physician dictates in the traditional manner and an editor listens to the audio and reviews
the document created
Backscanning ✔✔The process of scanning past health records into the DMS so there is an
existing database of patient information, making the DMS valuable to the user from the first day
of implementation
Backward map ✔✔A map that links the two coding systems in the opposite direction,
moving from ICD-10 to ICD-9
Barcode medication administration record (BC-MAR) ✔✔See Electronic
medication administration record (EMAR)
