CMD Research Methods & Evidence-Based Practice 3

Question 1

A long-term care facility tracks fall rates monthly. The control chart shows a data point 3 standard deviations above the mean. This indicates:

Accepted Answer

Special cause variation

Answer

A data point beyond 3 standard deviations on a control chart signals special cause variation, suggesting an assignable, non-random factor requiring investigation.

Question 2

In an intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis, participants who drop out of a trial are:

Accepted Answer

Analyzed in the group to which they were originally assigned

Answer

ITT analysis includes all randomized participants in their original assigned groups regardless of adherence, preserving the benefits of randomization and reducing bias.

Question 3

A CMD notices that a new medication study was funded exclusively by the drug manufacturer. This raises concern about:

Accepted Answer

Funding bias (industry bias)

Answer

Industry-funded studies are systematically more likely to report favorable outcomes, representing a form of funding or publication bias that can distort evidence.

Question 4

Which measure of central tendency is LEAST affected by extreme outliers in a dataset?

Accepted Answer

Median

Answer

The median represents the middle value and is resistant to skewing by extreme values, making it more robust than the mean in skewed distributions.

Question 5

A CMD implements a new wound care protocol and uses a run chart to track healing rates. Run charts are primarily used to:

Accepted Answer

Display process performance over time

Answer

Run charts plot data points sequentially over time to identify trends, shifts, or patterns in a process, supporting ongoing quality monitoring.

(CMD) Certified Medical Director Practice Test

(CMD) Certified Medical Director Practice Test

CMD Research Methods & Evidence-Based Practice 3