AHIMA Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield AHIMA facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. The Joint Commission's ORYX initiative requires accredited hospitals to collect and report data on: → Core performance measures linked to accreditation standards
2. In CDI, what is the 'case mix index' (CMI)? → The average relative weight of all MS-DRGs for a given period
3. Which of the following is the correct sequencing rule for ICD-10-CM coding of a patient admitted for chemotherapy? → Sequence the encounter for chemotherapy (Z51.11) first
4. Under the HIPAA Security Rule, which of the following is classified as a required implementation specification? → Assigned security responsibility
5. In EHR implementation, which go-live strategy involves running the old and new system simultaneously for a period before fully switching? → Parallel processing
6. Which federal program publicly reports hospital quality measure performance data online as a condition of participation in Medicare? → Hospital Compare / Care Compare
7. Under the HITECH Act, which incentive program accelerated the adoption of electronic health records and, by extension, Health Information Exchange? → Meaningful Use (now Promoting Interoperability)
8. What is the primary function of a Master Patient Index (MPI) in Health Information Exchange? → To uniquely identify and match patients across multiple organizations
9. Which governance document outlines the rules, policies, and obligations that all participants must agree to when joining an HIE network? → Participation Agreement / Data Use Agreement
10. An HIM professional who misrepresents their credentials on a job application has violated which core principle of the AHIMA Code of Ethics? → Honesty and integrity in professional conduct
11. Which CMS program penalizes hospitals for excess readmissions and relies on accurate clinical documentation? → Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP)
12. What does the acronym 'NEC' mean when encountered in the ICD-10-CM Tabular List? → Not Elsewhere Classifiable
13. Which database model is best suited for storing and querying highly variable, unstructured patient-generated health data from wearables? → NoSQL document store
14. Which health IT standard is used to electronically transmit prescription information between prescribers and pharmacies? → NCPDP SCRIPT
15. Under HIPAA, a covered entity's Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) must be provided to patients: → No later than the first service delivery date
16. When an HIE sends an Admit, Discharge, and Transfer (ADT) notification to a primary care provider, which event type signals a patient's hospital discharge? → ADT A03 (Discharge)
17. What is the key difference between ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS? → ICD-10-CM is for diagnoses; ICD-10-PCS is for inpatient procedures
18. Health data that is collected and available soon enough to support the decision or action for which it is needed demonstrates which quality characteristic? → Timeliness
19. A hospital implements a Clinical Decision Support (CDS) system that fires an alert every time a nurse documents vitals. This is an example of which CDS problem? → Alert fatigue
20. Which CPT code modifier indicates that only the professional component of a service was provided? → -26
21. A hospital's health information management department receives a subpoena for a patient's records. The correct first action is to: → Notify the patient and consult legal counsel before releasing
22. Which interoperability profile from IHE defines how documents are registered, stored, and retrieved in a document-sharing network? → XDS (Cross-Enterprise Document Sharing)
23. Which FHIR resource is used to represent a patient's active problem list? → Condition
24. What is a release of information (ROI) process? → The procedure for disclosing patient health information in response to authorized requests
25. When a covered entity uses PHI for fundraising activities, HIPAA requires that: → Patients must be given an opportunity to opt out of receiving fundraising communications
26. The Joint Commission uses 'tracer methodology' during accreditation surveys primarily to: → Follow a patient's care experience across departments to evaluate system performance
27. In the context of HIE, what does the term 'opt-in' consent model mean? → Patients must give explicit permission before their data is shared through the HIE
28. How many continuing education hours (CEHs) must an RHIA credential holder complete per two-year renewal cycle? → 30 CEHs
29. A person stole and used another person's insurance information to get medical treatment. This action will be considered: → Medical identity theft
30. Which AHIMA publication provides members with peer-reviewed articles, research, and industry updates to support continuous professional learning? → The Journal of AHIMA (JAHIMA)