CMAS Technology & Digital Tools 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A physician wants to send a patient's radiology images to a specialist at another hospital. Which technology is designed specifically for this purpose?
- Fax machine
- Secure email attachment
- Health Information Exchange (HIE) (Correct answer)
- USB flash drive
Correct answer: Health Information Exchange (HIE)
A Health Information Exchange (HIE) enables the secure electronic sharing of patient health information across different organizations and systems.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of a 'clearinghouse' in medical billing?
- Storing patient demographic information
- Translating and validating claims before sending to payers (Correct answer)
- Generating patient statements
- Managing provider credentialing
Correct answer: Translating and validating claims before sending to payers
A clearinghouse receives claims from providers, checks them for errors and format compliance, and transmits them to the appropriate payers.
Question 3: Which of the following BEST describes two-factor authentication (2FA) in a medical office setting?
- Using two different passwords for the same account
- Requiring a password plus a secondary verification such as a text code (Correct answer)
- Having two staff members log in simultaneously
- Logging in once to access two different systems
Correct answer: Requiring a password plus a secondary verification such as a text code
Two-factor authentication requires users to verify their identity with something they know (password) and something they have or are (e.g., a mobile code or biometric).
Question 4: Under the HIPAA Security Rule, what is required when transmitting ePHI over an open network such as the internet?
- Password protection only
- Encryption (Correct answer)
- Digital watermarking
- Compression
Correct answer: Encryption
The HIPAA Security Rule requires that ePHI transmitted over open networks be encrypted to prevent unauthorized interception.
Question 5: A medical assistant accidentally sends a patient's lab results to the wrong patient's portal. What type of incident has occurred?
- A breach of unsecured PHI (Correct answer)
- A routine misfiling
- A technical malfunction
- An authorization error
Correct answer: A breach of unsecured PHI
Unauthorized disclosure of PHI to the wrong individual constitutes a breach that must be evaluated and potentially reported under HIPAA.
Question 6: Which database tool in a practice management system allows administrators to generate reports on appointment no-shows, revenue by provider, and claim denial rates?
- Charge capture module
- Reporting and analytics dashboard (Correct answer)
- Patient portal
- Eligibility verification tool
Correct answer: Reporting and analytics dashboard
Reporting and analytics dashboards aggregate data from the practice management system to produce operational and financial performance reports.
Question 7: What is 'real-time eligibility verification' in a medical practice workflow?
- Checking a patient's insurance benefits electronically before or at the time of service (Correct answer)
- Verifying a provider's license is active
- Confirming a prescription is covered by insurance
- Auditing claims after they have been paid
Correct answer: Checking a patient's insurance benefits electronically before or at the time of service
Real-time eligibility verification allows staff to query a payer's system electronically to confirm a patient's current coverage and benefits before the visit.
CMAS Technology & Digital Tools 3
A physician wants to send a patient's radiology images to a specialist at another hospital.
Which technology is designed specifically for this purpose?