Quality Control & Process Improvement Flashcards
7 cards from real CMAS 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 & Process Improvement flashcards as text
A medical office tracks the time from when a patient checks in to when they are seen by the provider. This measure is known as:
Answer: Door-to-provider time
Door-to-provider time measures the elapsed time between patient arrival/check-in and the moment the provider begins the encounter.
Which of the following BEST describes 'poka-yoke' in healthcare process improvement?
Answer: A mistake-proofing technique that prevents errors from occurring
Poka-yoke refers to design features or checklists that make it difficult or impossible to make certain errors.
A run chart showing billing denial rates that consistently stays above the mean for eight consecutive data points suggests:
Answer: A special cause (non-random) trend
Eight consecutive points on one side of the mean is a classic run chart rule indicating a non-random special cause shift in the process.
In a quality improvement committee, the role of a 'champion' is to:
Answer: Provide leadership support and remove organizational barriers
A quality champion is typically a senior leader who sponsors the initiative and ensures organizational resources and support are available.
Which federal program ties physician reimbursement to quality performance metrics?
Answer: Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS)
MIPS is a CMS value-based payment program that adjusts Medicare reimbursement based on quality, cost, and improvement activities.
A medical practice's net collection rate has dropped from 96% to 89%. The FIRST step an administrative specialist should take is:
Answer: Analyze denial reports to identify the primary denial reasons
Analyzing denial reports pinpoints the specific reasons for uncollected revenue before implementing any corrective action.
Which of the following is an example of a 'balancing measure' in a quality improvement project aimed at reducing patient wait times?
Answer: Staff overtime hours
Balancing measures track unintended consequences; reducing wait time by rushing staff might increase overtime, signaling a trade-off.