NAHQ CPHQ Exam Practice Test Instant Access

Question 1

Which of the following Is an example of a population health strategy?

Ascheduling discharged Inpatients for follow up appointments

Breviewing outpatient prescribing patterns for pain management patients

CImplementing an employee wellness program

DauditingInpatient admission medications for duplicates

Answer : C

Population health strategies aim to improve the health outcomes of a group of individuals and reduce health disparities among populations1.They often involve collaboration across sectors, including healthcare, politics, charity, education, and business1. An employee wellness program is an example of a population health strategy because it targets a specific population (employees) and aims to improve their health outcomes.This can include initiatives to promote healthy behaviors, provide access to qualityhealthcare, and create a supportive work environment1.

https://www.healthcatalyst.com/insights/4-population-health-strategies-drive-improvement

Question 2

When reporting infection control indicators to a governing body, a healthcare quality professional should demonstrate improvement with which of the following tools?

Arun chart

Bfrequency plot

Cpie chart

Dscatter plot

Answer : A

When reporting infection control indicators to a governing body, a healthcare quality professional should use a run chart to demonstrate improvement. A run chart is a simple, yet powerful tool for tracking data points over time and identifying trends or patterns. It can effectively illustrate changes in infection control indicators, showing whether performance is improving, declining, or remaining stable. This is particularly useful for demonstrating the impact of quality improvement efforts to a governingbody.

Frequency plot (B): This is used to show the distribution of data points but does not effectively demonstrate trends over time.

Pie chart (C): Pie charts show proportions of categories at a single point in time and are not useful for showing changes over time.

Scatter plot (D): Scatter plots show relationships between two variables but are not ideal for demonstrating changes in infection control indicators over time.

Reference

NAHQ Body of Knowledge: Data Visualization in Quality Improvement

NAHQ CPHQ Exam Preparation Materials: Tools for Demonstrating Improvement in Quality Data

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Question 3

Which of the following data sources can be used to assess a population's health status?

Acounty birth rate

Bretrospective chart audits

Cclinical disease registries

Dcore measure performance

Answer : C

All of the options listed can be used to assess a population's health status123.

County birth rate (A): This is ademographic indicator that can provide insights into the health status of a population. It can indicate trends in fertility, which can be linked to various health or social factors.

Retrospective chart audits (B): These can provide valuable data on patient outcomes, care processes, and adherence to clinical guidelines. They are often used in healthcare quality improvement to identify areas where care could be improved.

Clinical disease registries : These registries collect data on patients with specific diseases. This data can be used to track the health status of a population, identify trends in disease prevalence or outcomes, and evaluate the effectiveness of treatment strategies.

Core measure performance (D): Core measures are standardized indicators that allow for comparisons across different healthcare providers or systems. They can provide insights into the quality of care provided and the health outcomes achieved by a population.

Therefore, all of these data sources can be used to assess a population's health status.It's important to note that the choice of data source may depend on the specific health indicators of interest and the resources available for data collection and analysis123.

Question 4

Which tool is used to identify, explore, and display the possible causes of a specific problem or condition?

AFishbone diagram

BCheck sheet

CPareto chart

DFlow chart

Answer : A

A fishbone diagram, also known as an Ishikawa or cause-and-effect diagram, helps teams systematically identify potential causes of a problem. It visually organizes possible contributing factors to facilitate root cause analysis.

NAHQ Body of Knowledge: Performance and Process Improvement

NAHQ CPHQ Exam Preparation Materials: Root Cause Analysis Tools

Question 5

After discharge, most patients with a mental health diagnosis have not been compliant with follow-up visits. Which of the following Is the best way to Improve patient compliance?

ABenchmark with other facilities in the area to determine the rate of patient compliance.

BInclude handouts in the discharge documents on the Importance of keeping follow-up appointments.

CInitiate a process where the discharge planners call patients prior to the follow-up visit

DCommunicate to noncompliant patients that appointments should be kept.

Answer : C

According to the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ), one of the core competencies of healthcare quality professionals is patient safety, which includes ensuring effective transitions of care and reducing preventable readmissions12.

One of the strategies to achieve this goal is to improve patient compliance with follow-up visits, which can help monitor patient outcomes, prevent complications, and provide continuity of care34.

Among the four options given, the best way to improve patient compliance is to initiate a process where the discharge planners call patients prior to the follow-up visit. This is because:

A phone call can serve as a reminder for the patient to keepthe appointment, as well as an opportunity to address any barriers or concerns that the patient may have34.

A phone call can also help establish rapport and trust between the patient and the discharge planner, which can increase patient satisfaction and adherence4.

A phone call can also allow the discharge planner to confirm the patient's understanding of the discharge instructions, medication regimen, and follow-up plan, and to provide any additional education or support that the patient may need34.

Theother options are less effective because:

Benchmarking with other facilities in the area to determine the rate of patient compliance may provide some insight into the current performance and best practices, but it does not directly address the specific needs and preferences of the individual patient5.

Including handouts in the discharge documents on the importance of keeping follow-up appointments may increase the patient's awareness and knowledge, but it may not be sufficient to motivate the patient to act on the information, especially if the patient has low health literacy, cognitive impairment, or mental health issues.

Communicating to noncompliant patients that appointments should be kept may sound authoritative and judgmental, which may alienate the patient and reduce their willingness to cooperate.Instead, a patient-centered and empathetic approach that acknowledges the patient's challenges and preferences may be more effective.Reference:1: [NAHQ Code of Ethics]2: [NAHQ HQ Principles]3:The Importance of Patient Follow-Up | MagMutual4:The Importance of Patient Follow-Up and Service Recovery5: [The Financial Case for Quality as a Business Strategy] : [Utilization of Improvement Methodologies by Healthcare Quality Professionals During the COVID-19 Pandemic] : [Understanding the Evolving Landscape of Healthcare Quality] : https://nahq.org/about-nahq/code-of-ethics/ : https://nahq.org/products/hq-principles/ : https://nahq.org/resources/the-financial-case-for-quality-as-a-business-strategy-2/ : https://nahq.org/resources/journal-for-healthcare-quality/utilization-of-improvement-methodologies-by-healthcare-quality-professionals-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/ : https://nahq.org/news-media/news/understanding-the-evolving-landscape-of-healthcare-quality/

Question 6

The chart below reflects the 12-week period following implementation of a new electronic health record (EHR) at an outpatient clinic.

Based on the information above, which of the following conclusions can be drawn?

AWhile e-prescribing processes are now stable, additional training is needed to improve staff competency.

BThere is a strong positive correlation between system-related med errors and help desk calls.

CMinimal IT-related med errors and downtime events indicate that the system has improved patient safety.

DOverrides, workarounds, and complaints indicate there are underlying barriers to use.
Implementing a new electronic health record (EHR) system in an outpatient clinic often introduces challenges that impact patient safety and workflow. NAHQ CPHQ study materials emphasize that post-implementation evaluation should focus on identifying barriers to effective use, as these can undermine the system's benefits, such as improved medication safety and care coordination. Common metrics in such evaluations include system-related medication errors, help desk calls, downtime events, overrides, workarounds, and staff complaints, which reflect user experience and system performance.
Since the chart is not provided, I'll base the answer on typical CPHQ scenarios for EHR implementation. The options suggest the chart includes data on e-prescribing stability, system-related medication errors, help desk calls, downtime events, overrides, workarounds, and complaints. Option D, ''Overrides, workarounds, and complaints indicate there are underlying barriers to use,'' aligns with a common finding in EHR post-implementation reviews. Overrides (e.g., bypassing alerts), workarounds (e.g., using paper notes instead of the EHR), and complaints typically signal usability issues, such as a poorly designed interface, inadequate training, or system inefficiencies. These barriers can lead to errors, staff frustration, and reduced patient safety, requiring targeted interventions like workflow redesign or additional support.
Option A, ''While e-prescribing processes are now stable, additional training is needed to improve staff competency,'' assumes e-prescribing stability, which may not be supported without specific chart data showing consistent performance (e.g., no recent errors). It also assumes training is the primary issue, which isn't directly indicated without evidence of competency gaps. Option B, ''There is a strong positive correlation between system-related med errors and help desk calls,'' requires specific data showing a statistical correlation (e.g., both metrics trending together), which cannot be confirmed without the chart. Option C, ''Minimal IT-related med errors and downtime events indicate that the system has improved patient safety,'' assumes low error and downtime rates, but the presence of overrides, workarounds, and complaints (implied by option D) suggests ongoing safety risks, contradicting this conclusion. NAHQ emphasizes identifying and addressing barriers to EHR adoption to ensure patient safety, making option D the most likely conclusion based on typical post-implementation challenges.

Answer : D

Question 7

A quality professional within a seven-hospital system is asked to evaluate the number of quality staff working at the quality professional's hospital. The seven hospitals are all similar with equivalent volume of work. The average staffing is 1 staff/100 beds. This individual's hospital ratio is 0.7 staff/100 beds. Which of the following should the quality professional do first?

APrepare a business case to present to the quality professional's manager

BCreate a bonus structure with human resources for a reward program for expanded work tasks

CInclude the staffing issue as an item on the next hospital's quality committee meeting

DMeet with the hospital's governing body to discuss the staffing needs

Answer : A

The hospital's quality staffing ratio (0.7 staff/100 beds) is below the system average (1 staff/100 beds), indicating a potential resource gap. The first step should be a structured approach to justify additional staffing.

Option A (Prepare a business case to present to the quality professional's manager): This is the correct answer. The NAHQ CPHQ study guide states, ''A business case justifies resource needs by presenting data, risks, and benefits, making it the first step to address staffing gaps'' (Domain 3). The quality professional should analyze workload, quality outcomes, and risks (e.g., missed audits) to build a compelling case.

Option B (Create a bonus structure with human resources for a reward program for expanded work tasks): Bonuses address workload but not staffing shortages, and this is premature without justifying additional staff.

Option C (Include the staffing issue as an item on the next hospital's quality committee meeting): Discussing at a committee is a later step after preparing a data-driven case.

Option D (Meet with the hospital's governing body to discuss the staffing needs): The governing body is too high-level for the initial step; the manager is the appropriate first contact.

CPHQ Objective Reference: Domain 3: Organizational Leadership, Objective 3.6, ''Advocate for quality resources,'' emphasizes building a business case for staffing needs. The NAHQ study guide notes, ''A business case is critical to justify resource allocation for quality programs'' (Domain 3).

Rationale: A business case provides evidence to support staffing needs, aligning with CPHQ's leadership principles for resource advocacy.

NAHQ Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality CPHQ Exam Practice Test