Epic Skills Assessment — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Read the passage: 'Epic EHR systems require structured data entry to support clinical decision tools. Free-text notes, while detailed, cannot be parsed by automated alert systems.' What is the main implication for healthcare providers?

Epic systems cannot store free-text documentation
Automated alert systems are unreliable in clinical settings
Free-text notes should be eliminated entirely from medical records
Providers should use structured data fields when they want to trigger clinical alerts (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Providers should use structured data fields when they want to trigger clinical alerts

The passage states that only structured data supports automated alerts, so providers must use structured fields to activate those tools.

Question 2: A clock face shows 3:00. After the minute hand rotates 270°, what time does it show?

12:00
3:45 (Correct answer)
6:00
9:00

Correct answer: 3:45

The minute hand starts at 12; rotating 270° clockwise moves it to the 9, making the time 3:45.

Question 3: A rotating pattern shows an arrow pointing North, then East, then South, then West, then North again. After 13 rotations from North, where does the arrow point?

West
East (Correct answer)
South
North

Correct answer: East

The cycle length is 4; 13 ÷ 4 = 3 remainder 1, so after 13 rotations the arrow points East.

Question 4: A hospital tracks the source of patient referrals, as shown in the data below. If the total number of referrals for the quarter was 1,200, what is the combined number of referrals from 'Internal Physician' and 'Emergency Department'? - Primary Care Physician: 40% - Internal Physician: 25% - Emergency Department: 15% - Self-Referral/Other: 20%

180
480 (Correct answer)
600
300

Correct answer: 480

To find the combined number of referrals, first sum the percentages for 'Internal Physician' (25%) and 'Emergency Department' (15%), which equals 40%. Then, calculate 40% of the total 1,200 referrals (1200 * 0.40), which results in 480.

Question 5: A team receives a requirement that says 'the system should be fast.' What is the most effective next step?

Assume 'fast' means under 1 second and proceed with development
Implement caching everywhere as a precaution
Ask stakeholders to define specific, measurable performance thresholds (Correct answer)
Reject the requirement as too vague

Correct answer: Ask stakeholders to define specific, measurable performance thresholds

Vague requirements must be clarified with measurable acceptance criteria before implementation can begin meaningfully.

Question 6: In Epic's MyChart patient portal development, what authentication protocol is used for third-party app integrations that access patient data?

SAML 2.0 with XML-based assertions
Kerberos-based single sign-on via Active Directory
HTTP Basic Authentication over TLS
OAuth 2.0 with SMART on FHIR scopes (Correct answer)

Correct answer: OAuth 2.0 with SMART on FHIR scopes

MyChart third-party app integrations use OAuth 2.0 combined with SMART on FHIR scopes, which define granular permissions over specific clinical data categories.

Question 7: A department's monthly supply budget is $48,000. If spending in the first two weeks was $13,200 and $15,800, what percentage of the budget remains for the rest of the month?

35.4%
42.5%
39.6% (Correct answer)
44.8%

Correct answer: 39.6%

Total spent is $29,000, leaving $19,000, and $19,000/$48,000 ≈ 39.6%.

Question 8: What is a 'patient list' in a clinical EHR workflow, and how do clinicians use it?

A customizable view showing the clinician's assigned patients with key status indicators to manage daily rounding and tasks (Correct answer)
A list of patients scheduled for surgery on a given day
A master list of all patients ever seen at the facility
The hospital census showing all beds and occupancy

Correct answer: A customizable view showing the clinician's assigned patients with key status indicators to manage daily rounding and tasks

Patient lists (dashboards) are personalized views showing a clinician's current patients with key data points: location, diagnoses, pending orders, alerts, and task status. They organize the clinician's daily workflow and replace paper rounding lists.

Question 9: A billing specialist finds that a claim was denied due to 'missing prior authorization.' The procedure was performed 3 weeks ago. What is the best course of action?

Change the procedure code to one not requiring prior auth
Appeal the denial with clinical documentation supporting medical necessity (Correct answer)
Write off the charge immediately
Re-submit the claim unchanged

Correct answer: Appeal the denial with clinical documentation supporting medical necessity

Denial appeals with supporting clinical documentation (medical necessity letters, clinical notes) are the standard recovery path for prior authorization denials.

Question 10: Which problem-solving approach explores all possibilities and abandons a branch as soon as it violates a constraint?

Greedy
Backtracking (Correct answer)
Dynamic programming
Divide and conquer

Correct answer: Backtracking

Backtracking builds candidates incrementally and prunes branches the moment they cannot lead to a valid solution.

Question 11: What is the time complexity of finding an element in a balanced binary search tree?

O(1)
O(n log n)
O(n)
O(log n) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: O(log n)

A balanced BST halves the search space at each level, yielding O(log n) lookup time.

Question 12: In Epic's security model, what is the purpose of a 'security class'?

It groups permissions together to control what users can see and do (Correct answer)
It assigns network access rights to Epic workstations
It classifies the sensitivity level of a patient's diagnosis
It defines the server tier handling encrypted data

Correct answer: It groups permissions together to control what users can see and do

A security class bundles a set of access permissions that are then assigned to user records to control their Epic functionality.

Question 13: A hospital unit has a patient-to-nurse ratio of 5:1. If 3 nurses call out sick from a team of 12, how many patients can the remaining nurses handle?

35
50
45 (Correct answer)
40

Correct answer: 45

With 9 remaining nurses at a 5:1 ratio, the unit can handle 9 × 5 = 45 patients.

Question 14: If RED = 27 (R=18, E=5, D=4), what does CAT equal using the same rule (A=1, C=3, T=20)?

24 (Correct answer)
23
22
25

Correct answer: 24

C(3) + A(1) + T(20) = 24.

Question 15: What information is captured in an 'emergency contact' field at patient registration, and when is it used?

A person the facility should contact if the patient is incapacitated, deceased, or requires notification for significant clinical or administrative events (Correct answer)
The patient's employer contact for workers' compensation claims
The referring physician's contact information
The name of the patient's primary insurance agent

Correct answer: A person the facility should contact if the patient is incapacitated, deceased, or requires notification for significant clinical or administrative events

Emergency contact information (name, relationship, phone) is used when the patient cannot be reached or cannot speak for themselves: unconscious patients, deaths, serious clinical events, or when administrative contact is needed and the patient is unavailable.

Question 16: Under the HIPAA Security Rule, encryption of ePHI at rest is classified as what type of implementation specification?

Optional with no documentation needed
Addressable (Correct answer)
Required
Applicable only to business associates

Correct answer: Addressable

Encryption is addressable, meaning the entity must implement it or document why an equivalent alternative is reasonable and appropriate.

Question 17: Which of the following sentences uses the most precise language for a professional healthcare communication?

The patient exhibited signs of respiratory distress requiring supplemental oxygen at 2L via nasal cannula (Correct answer)
The patient was not breathing well and needed help
The patient seemed to have some trouble breathing so we gave them oxygen
The patient had breathing issues that were addressed by the care team

Correct answer: The patient exhibited signs of respiratory distress requiring supplemental oxygen at 2L via nasal cannula

This option uses specific medical terminology, quantifiable measurements, and precise descriptions appropriate for clinical documentation.

Question 18: In Epic, a 'Hold' placed on a schedule block prevents scheduling for what reason?

The block is reserved for a specific visit type or priority patient (Correct answer)
The provider has not completed required training
The room associated with the block is under maintenance
The block is awaiting billing department approval

Correct answer: The block is reserved for a specific visit type or priority patient

Schedule holds are used to reserve blocks for specific purposes, such as urgent patients, procedure slots, or high-priority visit types.

Question 19: What is a 'verbal order' in clinical practice, and what documentation requirements apply?

An order communicated verbally by a provider to an authorized receiver (nurse/pharmacist), which must be documented in the EHR and cosigned by the ordering provider within the required timeframe (Correct answer)
An order placed without any documentation required
Any order communicated face-to-face rather than in writing
An order that only applies until the physician can write a formal order

Correct answer: An order communicated verbally by a provider to an authorized receiver (nurse/pharmacist), which must be documented in the EHR and cosigned by the ordering provider within the required timeframe

Verbal orders (VOs) and telephone orders (TOs) are placed by a provider verbally and transcribed by an authorized clinician (RN, pharmacist). The receiving clinician documents the order and reads it back for verification. The ordering provider must cosign within the organization-defined timeframe (typically 24-48 hours).

Question 20: An Epic analyst needs to promote a configuration change from the build environment to production. What is the standard mechanism for this?

Copying and pasting settings via screenshots
Manually re-entering the configuration in production
Moving the record using Epic's move tools or transport methodology (Correct answer)
Requesting a full database restore from build

Correct answer: Moving the record using Epic's move tools or transport methodology

Epic provides move tools and a formal transport methodology to safely promote configuration records from lower environments to production.

Question 21: Examine the series: B2, D4, F6, H8, ___. What comes next?

L10
K10
I10
J10 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: J10

Letters advance by 2 (B, D, F, H, J) and numbers increase by 2 (2, 4, 6, 8, 10).

Question 22: If all Blips are Zops, and some Zops are Wips, which conclusion is definitely true?

No Blips are Wips
All Blips are Zops (Correct answer)
All Wips are Blips
Some Blips are Wips

Correct answer: All Blips are Zops

The only guaranteed statement is that all Blips are Zops, as stated directly in the premise.

Question 23: Under HIPAA's Breach Notification Rule, covered entities must notify affected individuals of a PHI breach within how many days?

45 days
90 days
60 days (Correct answer)
30 days

Correct answer: 60 days

The Breach Notification Rule requires covered entities to notify affected individuals no later than 60 calendar days after discovery of a breach.

Question 24: A matrix has: Row 1: ●■▲, Row 2: ■▲●, Row 3: ▲●?. What fills the question mark?

●
★
■ (Correct answer)
▲

Correct answer: ■

Each row contains all three symbols (●, ■, ▲) exactly once. Row 3 starts with ▲●, so the missing symbol must be ■.

Question 25: n = 64; count = 0; while n > 1: n = n / 2; count = count + 1. What is count at the end?

64
6 (Correct answer)
32
8

Correct answer: 6

64 halves to 1 in 6 steps, because 2^6 = 64.

Question 26: Pattern recognition: What number comes next in this sequence? 2, 5, 10, 17, 26, ___

33
37 (Correct answer)
36
35

Correct answer: 37

The differences between terms are +3, +5, +7, +9, +11 — odd numbers increasing by 2. So 26 + 11 = 37.

Question 27: Which sentence uses the word 'adverse' correctly?

The adverse listed the drug's benefits clearly.
The nurse gave an adverse opinion to the patient.
She had an adverse reaction to the new medication. (Correct answer)
He was adverse to try a new approach.

Correct answer: She had an adverse reaction to the new medication.

'Adverse' means harmful or unfavorable, making 'adverse reaction to medication' the correct usage.

Question 28: In Epic's patient registration workflow, which identifier is permanent and uniquely identifies a patient across all encounters?

Encounter number (CSN)
Order number
Insurance ID
Medical Record Number (MRN) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Medical Record Number (MRN)

The MRN (Medical Record Number) is the permanent, enterprise-wide patient identifier in Epic. The CSN (Contact Serial Number) is per-encounter.

Question 29: Examine the figures below. Four of the figures follow a common logical rule, while one is an outlier. Which figure does NOT belong in the group?

A hexagon (6 sides) with 5 internal dots.
A square (4 sides) with 3 internal dots.
A pentagon (5 sides) with 3 internal dots. (Correct answer)
A triangle (3 sides) with 2 internal dots.

Correct answer: A pentagon (5 sides) with 3 internal dots.

The rule connecting four of the figures is that the number of sides of the outer shape is exactly one more than the number of dots inside it (Sides = Dots + 1). Let's check: - Triangle: 3 sides = 2 dots + 1. (Follows rule) - Hexagon: 6 sides = 5 dots + 1. (Follows rule) - Pentagon: 5 sides ≠ 3 dots + 1. (Does NOT follow rule) - Square: 4 sides = 3 dots + 1. (Follows rule) The pentagon with three dots is the only figure that breaks this pattern.

Question 30: A patient's chart notes 'the condition is benign.' In this context, 'benign' most likely means:

Severe and life-threatening
Difficult to diagnose
Not harmful or cancerous (Correct answer)
Requiring immediate surgery

Correct answer: Not harmful or cancerous

Benign in a medical context means not malignant or harmful, often used to indicate a non-cancerous condition.

Question 31: Which of the following scenarios would most likely require reporting to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR)?

A patient requests a copy of their own medical record
A physician discusses a patient's condition with a consulting specialist
A laptop containing unencrypted PHI for 600 patients is stolen (Correct answer)
A nurse accidentally views the wrong patient's allergies before self-correcting

Correct answer: A laptop containing unencrypted PHI for 600 patients is stolen

Breaches affecting 500 or more individuals must be reported to OCR and the media within 60 days; a stolen unencrypted laptop containing PHI for 600 patients meets this threshold.

Question 32: A charge nurse using Epic's scheduling module needs to fill an open shift for tomorrow morning. Which tool in Epic is designed for this task?

Patient Tracking Board
Staff Schedule (ShiftSelect or Clairvia) (Correct answer)
In Basket
Chart Review

Correct answer: Staff Schedule (ShiftSelect or Clairvia)

Epic's staff scheduling module (such as ShiftSelect or Clairvia integration) is the appropriate tool for managing and filling open nursing shifts.

Question 33: In Epic's flowsheet, a patient's creatinine values are 1.0, 1.3, 1.8, and 2.4 over consecutive days. What type of trend does this indicate?

A consistently increasing trend suggesting worsening renal function (Correct answer)
Stable values within normal limits
Random fluctuation with no clinical significance
A consistently decreasing trend

Correct answer: A consistently increasing trend suggesting worsening renal function

The creatinine values show a steady upward trend from 1.0 to 2.4, which suggests progressively worsening renal function.

Question 34: If a medication dosage is 0.75 mg per kg of body weight, what is the correct dosage for a patient weighing 92 kg?

69 mg (Correct answer)
75 mg
64 mg
72 mg

Correct answer: 69 mg

Multiplying 0.75 mg/kg by 92 kg yields 69 mg.

Question 35: A hospital memo states: 'All nursing staff must complete annual compliance training by December 31st. Staff who fail to complete training will be suspended from clinical duties.' Which conclusion is best supported?

Staff suspended from clinical duties did not complete any training
Staff who complete training by December 31st may continue clinical duties (Correct answer)
Only nursing staff are required to take compliance training annually
The hospital has no other compliance requirements

Correct answer: Staff who complete training by December 31st may continue clinical duties

The memo establishes that failure to complete training results in suspension, so completing it allows continuation of clinical duties.

Question 36: A stacked bar chart shows payer mix: Private Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, Self-Pay. The 'Private Insurance' segment shrinks across 4 years while 'Medicare' grows. What is the most likely implication?

Billing errors are increasing
The hospital is losing accreditation
Malpractice costs are rising
The patient population is aging (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The patient population is aging

Growing Medicare share and shrinking private insurance typically indicates that a larger proportion of patients are elderly (65+), who are Medicare-eligible.

Question 37: Spatial reasoning: A square piece of paper is folded in half (left to right) and then a hole is punched in the center of the folded paper. When unfolded, how many holes are visible?

3
1
4
2 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 2

Folding left-to-right aligns the left and right halves. A single punch through the folded paper creates holes in both layers, so 2 holes appear when unfolded.

Question 38: Read the following: 'The new Epic module reduced medication reconciliation time by 22%. Nurses reported higher satisfaction, but 34% indicated they needed additional training on the interface.' What conclusion is best supported?

Most nurses are unable to use the new module
The time savings are offset by training costs
The module improves efficiency but implementation requires more training support (Correct answer)
The module should be removed until all nurses are trained

Correct answer: The module improves efficiency but implementation requires more training support

The data shows clear efficiency gains alongside a significant portion of staff requesting more training, supporting both conclusions simultaneously.

Question 39: Circle is to sphere as square is to:

Rectangle
Cube (Correct answer)
Pyramid
Cylinder

Correct answer: Cube

A sphere is the 3D form of a circle, and a cube is the 3D form of a square.

Question 40: Choose the sentence with the clearest and most direct meaning:

The policy, it was decided, would be changed by the committee.
There was a decision made regarding policy change by the committee.
It was decided by the committee that the policy would be changed.
The committee decided to change the policy. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The committee decided to change the policy.

Option B is direct, active voice, and concise. All others use passive construction or unnecessary complexity.

Question 41: A supervisor writes: 'Staff who miss two consecutive check-ins without prior notice will be placed on a performance improvement plan.' An employee misses one check-in without notice. What is the correct interpretation?

The employee is immediately placed on a performance plan.
The policy does not apply because the absence was unintentional.
No action is triggered because the threshold is two consecutive misses. (Correct answer)
The employee must notify the supervisor retroactively.

Correct answer: No action is triggered because the threshold is two consecutive misses.

The policy requires two consecutive unnoticed absences; one miss does not meet the stated threshold.

Question 42: Test sensitivity = 90%, specificity = 85%, prevalence = 10% in a population of 1,000. How many true positives are expected?

90 (Correct answer)
85
10
100

Correct answer: 90

True positives = sensitivity × actual positives = 90% × (10% × 1000) = 0.9 × 100 = 90.

Question 43: Which Epic tool is used to manage and track prior authorization requests submitted to payers?

Authorization Tracking (Correct answer)
Order Composer
Claim Edit
Coverage Discovery

Correct answer: Authorization Tracking

Authorization Tracking in Epic allows staff to record, monitor, and manage prior authorization statuses for procedures and services.

Question 44: A report exported from Epic shows that the same MRN appears in multiple rows with different encounter dates. What does this represent?

Duplicate patients in the system
A data corruption issue
Billing errors for a single visit
Multiple visits by the same patient (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Multiple visits by the same patient

An MRN (Medical Record Number) uniquely identifies a patient across all visits. Multiple rows with the same MRN but different encounter dates represent multiple separate visits by the same patient.

Question 45: In a pattern sequence, each figure adds one more side than the previous figure starting with a triangle. What is the sixth figure?

Nonagon
Hexagon
Octagon (Correct answer)
Heptagon

Correct answer: Octagon

Triangle (3), square (4), pentagon (5), hexagon (6), heptagon (7), octagon (8), so the sixth figure is an octagon.

Question 46: Read the following: 'The formulary committee has determined that Brand X is no longer a preferred medication. Prescribers should transition existing patients to the generic equivalent where clinically appropriate. Patients with documented adverse reactions to the generic may request an exception.' What should a prescriber do first for a current Brand X patient?

File an exception request for every patient on Brand X
Evaluate whether transitioning the patient to the generic equivalent is clinically appropriate (Correct answer)
Immediately switch all patients to the generic without review
Continue prescribing Brand X until the patient requests a change

Correct answer: Evaluate whether transitioning the patient to the generic equivalent is clinically appropriate

The directive instructs prescribers to transition patients 'where clinically appropriate,' meaning individual clinical evaluation should come first.

Question 47: In a passage about electronic health records, the author argues that interoperability is the 'cornerstone of modern healthcare.' What does 'cornerstone' most likely mean here?

A recent technological innovation
A fundamental and essential element (Correct answer)
An optional enhancement
A minor supporting detail

Correct answer: A fundamental and essential element

Cornerstone is used figuratively to mean a foundational or essential element upon which other things depend.

Question 48: A patient requests a copy of their medical records. Under the HIPAA right of access, how quickly must the covered entity generally act?

Only after the attending physician approves the release
Within 7 days or the request expires
Within 30 days, with one possible 30-day extension if the patient is notified (Correct answer)
Within 90 days with no extension

Correct answer: Within 30 days, with one possible 30-day extension if the patient is notified

Covered entities must provide access within 30 calendar days, with a single 30-day extension allowed with written notice.

Question 49: What is the primary function of Epic's 'Workqueue' feature?

Manage print jobs sent to hospital printers
Present staff with a list of tasks requiring action or follow-up (Correct answer)
Store pending orders awaiting physician signature
Queue overnight batch jobs for server processing

Correct answer: Present staff with a list of tasks requiring action or follow-up

Workqueues present staff with actionable work items — such as coding edits, billing holds, or registration errors — that need to be resolved.

Question 50: Which item does not belong: Cube, Sphere, Pyramid, Square?

Pyramid
Cube
Square (Correct answer)
Sphere

Correct answer: Square

The square is a flat 2D shape, while the other three are 3D solids.

Epic Skills Assessment

The Epic Skills Assessment exam validates essential knowledge and skills required for certification or licensure in this field.

Questions

60 min

Time Limit

70%

To Pass

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These practice questions were written with AI tools. They are not real exam questions. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy

Sources & references

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careers.epic.com — Eligibility, exam format, test delivery · verified Nov 2026