Last Attempt CPHQ Questions

The three broad aimspursued by the National Quality Strategy (NQS), as recognized by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), are better care, healthy people/healthy communities, and affordable care. These aims reflect a comprehensive approach to improving healthcare by focusing on enhancing the overall quality of care, improving the health of populations, and reducing the cost of care to ensure it is affordable for all.

Reduce medical waste, use Lean, and achieve equity and better access to care (A): These are important goals, but they do not summarize the NQS’s broad aims.

Reduce complications, reduce readmissions, and improve health outcomes (B): These are specific targets within the broader framework but not the three broad aims.

Triple aim, reduce utilization, and affordable care (D): The triple aim concept is related, but it is not identical to the three broad aims of the NQS.

References

NAHQ Body of Knowledge: National Quality Strategy and Healthcare Improvement

NAHQ CPHQ Exam Preparation Materials: Understanding National Quality Initiatives

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The accuracy of the admission source data element (e.g., home, nursing facility) is critical for quality reporting, as it affects measure exclusions. The team must include roles directly involved in data collection and reporting, with appropriate leadership and sponsorship.

Option A (Team A): Sponsor: Chief Financial Officer; Leader: Director of Quality; Members: Case Manager, Registration Staff, Coding Manager. This team is the most appropriate, as it includes registration staff (who collect admission source data), coding manager (who ensures data accuracy for reporting), and case manager (who coordinates patient transitions). The Director of Quality is well-suited to lead, given their expertise in quality metrics, and the CFO’s sponsorship aligns with the financial implications of quality scores.

Option B (Team B): Sponsor: CEO; Leader: Director of Finance; Members: Staff Nurse, Hospitalist, Coding Manager. The finance leader and CEO are less directly tied to data collection, and nurses and hospitalists are not primary data collectors for admission source, making this team less relevant.

Option C (Team C): Sponsor: CNO; Leader: Director of HIM; Members: Coding Manager, ED Nurse, Intensivist. While HIM and coding are relevant, ED nurses and intensivists are not primary data collectors for admission source, and the CNO’s sponsorship is less aligned than a quality-focused leader.

Option D (Team D): Sponsor: CMO; Leader: Director of Case Management; Members: Clinical Documentation Specialist, Case Manager, ED Intensivist. This team focuses on clinicaldocumentation and case management, but lacks registration staff, who are critical for admission source data entry.

CPHQ Objective Reference: Domain 3: Organizational Leadership, Objective 3.1, “Form effective teams for quality initiatives,” emphasizes selecting team members with relevant expertise and roles. The NAHQ study guide states, “Teams should include individuals directly involved in the process being improved, such as data collection staff for data accuracy issues” (Domain 3).

Rationale: Team A’s composition includes key stakeholders (registration, coding, case management) and a quality-focused leader, making it the most effective for addressing admission source data accuracy, as per CPHQ team formation principles.

 Preparing care team members for interacting with accreditation surveyors is a crucial part of the accreditation process. The best approach is to brief them onsurvey activities and what questionsto expect (Option C). This involves providing them with an understanding of the survey objectives, the day’s schedule, and the types of questions that surveyors may ask1. This approach helps to ensure that team members are well-prepared and confident when interacting with surveyors. Reviewing patient records proactively (Option A) and summarizing and discussing past survey findings (Option B) can also be helpful, but these activities are more focused on identifying and addressing potential issues before the survey, rather than preparing team members for the survey itself. Providing techniques to defer surveyor questions to leaders (Option D) could potentially create a perception of lack of transparency or evasion, which could negatively impact the survey results.

Illustrating the occurrence of measles cases by month requires a data display that shows trends over time.

Option A (Gantt chart): Gantt charts manage project timelines, not display epidemiological trends.

Option B (Pie chart): Pie charts show proportions, not time-based trends.

Option C (Cause-and-effect diagram): This identifies causes, not displays temporal data.

Option D (Run chart): This is the correct answer. The NAHQ CPHQ study guide states, “Run charts display data over time, making them ideal for showing trends, such as disease cases by month” (Domain 2). A run chart would plot measles cases per month, highlighting patterns.

CPHQ Objective Reference: Domain 2: Health Data Analytics, Objective 2.3, “Select appropriate data display tools,” emphasizes run charts for temporal data. The NAHQ study guide notes, “Run charts are effective for tracking disease outbreaks over time” (Domain 2).

Rationale: Run charts show measles cases by month, aligning with CPHQ’s data visualization principles.