HIM 2214 Chapter 1: Introduction to
Health Statistics Exam
Statistic - Answers -A number computed from a larger collection of numbers which
collectively constitute a sample of data
A sample is a small part (a subset) of a larger group of data (a population)
Statistics - Answers -A branch of mathematics concerned with collecting, organizing,
summarizing, and analyzing data
Origins of the Term - Answers -Originally, "statistics" referred to the collection of
information about and for the "State"
Decision Making - Answers -In order to make decisions we must have some information
Healthcare Operations Needs - Answers -•Find out why patients come to the facility
•Determine the cost of taking care of patients
•Determine the quality of care provided
•Meet requirements of accrediting agencies
•Prioritize needed services
•Maintain physician specialty mix
Inferential Statistics - Answers -Help us make inferences, or a guess about a larger
group of data by drawing conclusions from a smaller group of data
Sample - Answers -The smaller group of data is called a sample
The results obtained from the sample are assumed to be typical
Primary Source of Information - Answers -Source: Health record; vital statistics; census
Contains most of the health facts about patients
Secondary - Answers -Data derived from primary sources
Census - Answers -A count of the people and their location
Facility Departments - Answers -Keep a count of patients seen and the reason
Health Statistics Exam
Statistic - Answers -A number computed from a larger collection of numbers which
collectively constitute a sample of data
A sample is a small part (a subset) of a larger group of data (a population)
Statistics - Answers -A branch of mathematics concerned with collecting, organizing,
summarizing, and analyzing data
Origins of the Term - Answers -Originally, "statistics" referred to the collection of
information about and for the "State"
Decision Making - Answers -In order to make decisions we must have some information
Healthcare Operations Needs - Answers -•Find out why patients come to the facility
•Determine the cost of taking care of patients
•Determine the quality of care provided
•Meet requirements of accrediting agencies
•Prioritize needed services
•Maintain physician specialty mix
Inferential Statistics - Answers -Help us make inferences, or a guess about a larger
group of data by drawing conclusions from a smaller group of data
Sample - Answers -The smaller group of data is called a sample
The results obtained from the sample are assumed to be typical
Primary Source of Information - Answers -Source: Health record; vital statistics; census
Contains most of the health facts about patients
Secondary - Answers -Data derived from primary sources
Census - Answers -A count of the people and their location
Facility Departments - Answers -Keep a count of patients seen and the reason
