Healthcare Data Analytics Flashcards

A Kaplan-Meier curve is most commonly used in healthcare analytics to:

Answer: Display the probability of survival or event-free status at successive time points

The Kaplan-Meier estimator produces a step-function curve showing the estimated probability of surviving or remaining event-free at each observed time point within a study cohort.

Which AHIMA data quality characteristic ensures that the same data element holds the same value across multiple systems or time points?

Answer: Consistency

Consistency means that data values do not conflict across different data stores or across collection points in time, which is essential for reliable comparisons and reporting.

In predictive modeling, 'overfitting' occurs when a model:

Answer: Performs well on training data but poorly generalizes to new, unseen data

An overfitted model memorizes noise specific to the training sample, causing it to lose predictive accuracy when applied to new data—a critical risk in healthcare risk stratification models.

Population health management analytics is designed primarily to:

Answer: Proactively identify health risks and manage outcomes for defined patient groups

Population health management uses data analytics to stratify risk, coordinate care, and implement targeted interventions that improve outcomes and reduce costs across defined patient populations.

Incidence rate differs from prevalence in that incidence specifically measures:

Answer: New cases of a condition arising within a specified population and time period

Incidence counts new cases occurring during a defined time window, while prevalence counts all existing cases—both new and pre-existing—at a given moment.

In a healthcare data governance program, a data steward is primarily responsible for:

Answer: Ensuring data quality, integrity, and appropriate use within an assigned data domain

A data steward acts as a subject matter expert who defines data quality rules, resolves data issues, and ensures data within their domain is accurate, consistent, and used appropriately.

A hospital's case mix index (CMI) increased from 1.4 to 1.7. This most likely indicates that the hospital:

Answer: Treated a higher proportion of complex or resource-intensive patients

A higher CMI reflects a shift in patient mix toward more complex, resource-intensive cases, which typically increases Medicare MS-DRG reimbursement rates.