Quality Control & Assurance Flashcards
7 cards from real CSC 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 Control & Assurance flashcards as text
Which organization publishes the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) National Database risk scores used as a quality benchmark for cardiac surgery programs?
Answer: Society of Thoracic Surgeons
The STS publishes and maintains the STS National Database and associated risk models used to benchmark cardiac surgical outcomes nationally.
In the context of cardiac catheterization laboratory QA, 'contrast-induced nephropathy' prevention is monitored as which type of measure?
Answer: Process measure
Monitoring whether evidence-based hydration and contrast dose-limiting protocols are applied is a process measure that tracks adherence to best practices.
A quality dashboard for a heart failure program shows a 30-day readmission rate of 22%. According to current benchmarks, this rate is:
Answer: Above the national average and subject to CMS penalty under the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program
The national 30-day heart failure readmission rate is approximately 20-21%; rates exceeding this benchmark can trigger CMS financial penalties under HRRP.
The primary purpose of a peer review program in a cardiac imaging laboratory is to:
Answer: Systematically evaluate interpretive performance to identify learning opportunities and ensure diagnostic accuracy
Peer review programs assess interpretive quality in a non-punitive framework to identify educational needs and improve overall diagnostic accuracy.
Which metric is used to assess the diagnostic quality of a nuclear cardiology SPECT study in QA programs?
Answer: Count statistics and uniformity of the gamma camera
Gamma camera quality control includes daily assessment of count statistics, uniformity, center of rotation, and spatial resolution to ensure image quality.
In a performance improvement project for anticoagulation management in atrial fibrillation, which measure would be considered a 'process measure'?
Answer: Percentage of eligible AF patients on appropriate anticoagulation therapy
The percentage of eligible patients receiving guideline-recommended anticoagulation is a process measure tracking adherence to evidence-based practice.
Which of the following quality improvement frameworks uses a 'voice of the customer' (VOC) approach to define quality from the patient's perspective?
Answer: Six Sigma
Six Sigma explicitly incorporates the 'voice of the customer' to define critical-to-quality characteristics and align improvement efforts with patient needs.