Quality Improvement Flashcards
7 cards from real AHIC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Quality Improvement flashcards as text
Which concept in Lean methodology refers to any activity that consumes resources but does not add value from the patient's perspective?
Answer: Muda
Muda is the Japanese term for waste in Lean methodology, referring to activities that consume time, resources, or space without adding value for the customer or patient.
A clinical informatics team is evaluating the effectiveness of a new EHR-based medication reconciliation alert. Which metric would BEST measure the alert's clinical impact?
Answer: Rate of medication discrepancy resolution following alert
Measuring the rate of medication discrepancy resolution directly assesses whether the alert is achieving its intended clinical outcome of improving medication safety.
The Donabedian model of healthcare quality assessment evaluates quality across three domains. Which correctly identifies all three?
Answer: Structure, process, outcome
Avedis Donabedian's model assesses healthcare quality through Structure (resources and settings), Process (care delivery activities), and Outcome (results of care on patient health).
In QI methodology, what distinguishes a 'special cause' variation from a 'common cause' variation?
Answer: Common cause variation is inherent to the system, while special cause arises from specific identifiable factors
Common cause variation is the routine, expected variation inherent to a stable process, while special cause variation results from specific, identifiable factors outside the normal process.
Which AHRQ tool uses hospital administrative data to screen for adverse events and measure patient safety at the population level?
Answer: Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs)
AHRQ's Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs) are a set of measures that use hospital inpatient administrative data to provide information on potentially preventable complications and adverse events.
A hospital's QI dashboard shows sepsis bundle compliance has been consistently above 95% for six months. The QI team should NEXT:
Answer: Shift focus to sustaining performance and monitoring for decline
Once a QI goal is achieved and sustained, the team should transition to monitoring and maintaining performance gains while potentially spreading the intervention elsewhere.
Which quality improvement framework is specifically designed for use in ambulatory care settings and uses five key change concepts including 'the care team' and 'the patient'?
Answer: Wagner Chronic Care Model
The Wagner Chronic Care Model provides a framework for improving chronic illness management in ambulatory care through six interconnected elements, with the patient and care team as central components.