Research & Evidence-Based Practice Flashcards
7 cards from real Certified Medical Coding Specialist practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Research & Evidence-Based Practice flashcards as text
A retrospective chart audit examines 500 records to identify patterns in missed secondary diagnoses. The primary purpose of this audit type in coding research is to:
Answer: Analyze existing data without altering past records
Retrospective studies analyze already-existing data, making them efficient for identifying historical patterns without affecting past documentation.
Which coding guidance resource should a coder consult to clarify the correct sequencing of diagnoses for a complex inpatient case with multiple comorbidities?
Answer: AHA Coding Clinic for ICD-10-CM/PCS
AHA Coding Clinic for ICD-10-CM/PCS provides official guidance on diagnosis sequencing and complex inpatient coding scenarios.
A research team calculates the positive predictive value (PPV) of an algorithm that flags potentially miscoded DRGs. PPV measures which of the following?
Answer: The proportion of algorithm flags that are true errors
Positive predictive value is the proportion of positive test results (flags) that are true positives (actual errors).
A medical coding department implements changes based on a systematic review of coding accuracy studies. This approach exemplifies which practice concept?
Answer: Evidence-based coding practice
Applying findings from systematic research to inform coding practices and decisions is the definition of evidence-based coding practice.
A chi-square test is used in a coding accuracy study comparing error rates between two facilities. This test is used because the outcome variable is:
Answer: Categorical (correct vs. incorrect codes)
Chi-square tests compare distributions of categorical variables, such as whether a code was correct or incorrect.
When evaluating the quality of a coding research article, which element of the PICO framework represents the target group being studied?
Answer: P — Population/Patient
In PICO, 'P' refers to the Population or Patient group that is the focus of the clinical question or study.
A hospital uses encoder software that suggests codes based on clinical terminology in physician notes. A study evaluating this tool's accuracy would BEST measure which outcome?
Answer: Concordance between encoder-suggested and manually assigned codes
Comparing encoder-suggested codes to expert-assigned codes (concordance rate) directly measures the tool's coding accuracy.