Pass CPHQ Exam Guide

The median is the value that’s exactly in the middle of a dataset when it is ordered12. It’s a measure of central tendency that separates the lowest 50% from the highest 50% of values2. The steps for finding themedian differ depending on whether you have an odd or an even number of data points123.

Based on the data provided in the image, we can calculate the median by arranging the vaccine counts in ascending order and finding the middle value. The counts in ascending order are: 5, 10, 16, 18, 30, 55, 71, 90, 114, 144, 195, and 200. Since there are an even number of data points (12), we take the middle value directly without averaging two middle values. So here it is option B - “55”. This is consistent with the principles of median calculation123.

Addressing patient complaints about appointment delays requires a data-driven approach to understand the scope and causes of the issue before taking action.

Option A (Form a performance improvement team): A team is formed after data confirms the issue and identifies focus areas.

Option B (Perform a patient survey): Surveys gather perceptions, but objective data (e.g., actual wait times) is needed first to validate complaints.

Option C (Obtain waiting time data): This is the correct answer. The NAHQ CPHQ study guide states, “The first step in addressing complaints about delays is to obtain objective data, such as waiting time metrics, to confirm and quantify the issue” (Domain 4). This informs subsequent actions.

Option D (Initiate a new patient registration process): Changing processes is premature without data to identify specific causes of delays.

CPHQ Objective Reference: Domain 4: Performance and Process Improvement, Objective 4.5, “Use data to identify improvement opportunities,” emphasizes collecting data first. The NAHQ study guide notes, “Objective data collection is the initial step in validating complaints” (Domain 4).

Rationale: Obtaining waiting time data validates and quantifies the issue, aligning with CPHQ’s data-driven improvement principles.

A healthcare organization interested in comparing its cardiac care outcomes with other organizations should consider participating in a registry. A registry collects and stores data on specific patient populations, treatments, and outcomes from multiple organizations, allowingparticipants to benchmark their performance against others. This comparison can help identify areas for improvement and validate the quality of care provided.

Network (B): A network might facilitatecollaboration or sharing best practices but does not provide the detailed comparative data that a registry offers.

Research (C): Participating in research could help generate new knowledge, but it is not specifically designed for benchmarking outcomes.

Certification (D): Certification ensures that an organization meets specific standards but does not provide comparative outcome data.

References

NAHQ Body of Knowledge: Data Analytics and Benchmarking in Quality Improvement

NAHQ CPHQ Exam Preparation Materials: Using Registries for Outcome Comparisons

The scenario described in the question is a classic example of sampling bias, also known as selection bias123. This type of bias occurs when the sample chosen for a study or survey is not representative of the entire population thestudy intends to investigate123.

In this case, the healthcare quality professional wants to assess the satisfaction of the community served by the organization, which includes patients living within a 10-mile radius. However, the professional only sends surveys to households within a 3-mile radius. This means that the sample (households within 3 miles) does not accurately represent the entire population (patients within a 10-mile radius). As a result, the findings from this survey may not accurately reflect the satisfaction levels of the entire community served by the organization123.

To avoid this type of bias, it’s important to ensure that the sample chosen for a study or survey is as representative as possible of the population being studied123. This might involve using different sampling techniques or adjusting the scope of the survey to ensure a more diverse and representative sample is obtained123.