CHFM Administration and Human Resources 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A healthcare facility manager is preparing an operating budget. Which cost type remains constant regardless of patient volume or departmental activity levels?
- Variable costs
- Semi-variable costs
- Fixed costs (Correct answer)
- Direct costs
Correct answer: Fixed costs
Fixed costs, such as building lease payments and salaried management positions, do not change with fluctuations in activity or volume.
Question 2: An HVAC technician reports a near-miss incident involving a refrigerant leak. Per best practice, what should the facility manager do FIRST?
- Discipline the technician for unsafe practices
- Complete an incident report and conduct a root cause analysis (Correct answer)
- Notify the local fire department immediately
- Replace all HVAC equipment in the affected area
Correct answer: Complete an incident report and conduct a root cause analysis
Documenting the near-miss and performing a root cause analysis is the first priority to prevent future incidents and meet regulatory and accreditation requirements.
Question 3: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), what is a healthcare employer required to provide to a qualified employee with a disability?
- A promotion to a less physically demanding position
- Reasonable accommodation unless it causes undue hardship (Correct answer)
- Reassignment to any open position regardless of qualifications
- Full exemption from performance standards
Correct answer: Reasonable accommodation unless it causes undue hardship
The ADA requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities, unless doing so would create an undue hardship for the organization.
Question 4: Which organizational chart structure groups employees by their functional specialty (e.g., engineering, finance, HR) rather than by product or geography?
- Matrix structure
- Divisional structure
- Functional structure (Correct answer)
- Flat structure
Correct answer: Functional structure
A functional organizational structure organizes staff by department specialty, allowing for deep expertise and clear reporting lines within each function.
Question 5: A facility manager needs to evaluate the financial viability of a capital project. Which metric calculates the time required for a project's savings to recover its initial investment?
- Net present value (NPV)
- Internal rate of return (IRR)
- Simple payback period (Correct answer)
- Return on assets (ROA)
Correct answer: Simple payback period
The simple payback period divides the initial capital cost by the annual savings or cash inflows to determine how many years it takes to recoup the investment.
Question 6: Which document outlines the specific duties, required qualifications, working conditions, and reporting relationships for a particular position in a healthcare facility?
- Performance appraisal form
- Job description (Correct answer)
- Organizational chart
- Employee handbook
Correct answer: Job description
A job description formally defines the responsibilities, qualifications, physical requirements, and organizational placement of a specific role.
Question 7: The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to how many weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for qualifying reasons?
- 6 weeks
- 10 weeks
- 12 weeks (Correct answer)
- 26 weeks
Correct answer: 12 weeks
FMLA provides eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for qualifying family or medical reasons (up to 26 weeks for military caregiver leave).
CHFM Administration and Human Resources 3
A healthcare facility manager is preparing an operating budget.
Which cost type remains constant regardless of patient volume or departmental activity levels?