HP Quality Assurance & Improvement 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is the PRIMARY distinction between quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC)?
- QA focuses on preventing defects; QC focuses on detecting defects (Correct answer)
- QA is reactive; QC is proactive
- QA applies only to products; QC applies only to services
- QA uses statistical tools; QC uses audits
Correct answer: QA focuses on preventing defects; QC focuses on detecting defects
QA is a proactive, process-oriented approach to prevent defects, while QC is a reactive, product-oriented approach to detect and correct defects.
Question 2: In Lean methodology, 'muda' refers to:
- The ideal state of a process
- Any activity that consumes resources without adding value (Correct answer)
- A visual management board
- A standardized work procedure
Correct answer: Any activity that consumes resources without adding value
'Muda' is the Japanese term for waste—any step or resource consumption that does not add value from the customer's perspective.
Question 3: A Six Sigma project aims to reduce defects to fewer than 3.4 per million opportunities. What sigma level does this represent?
- Three sigma
- Four sigma
- Five sigma
- Six sigma (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Six sigma
Six sigma (6σ) corresponds to a defect rate of 3.4 per million opportunities, representing near-perfect process performance.
Question 4: An honors program measures 'time from patient arrival to physician contact' in an ED. This is an example of which type of quality measure?
- Outcome measure
- Structural measure
- Process measure (Correct answer)
- Balancing measure
Correct answer: Process measure
A process measure tracks whether steps in a care pathway are completed correctly; time-to-physician reflects a key step in the ED care process.
Question 5: Which technique involves observing a process in real time at the location where work is performed, often called 'going to the gemba'?
- Value stream mapping
- Direct observation (Correct answer)
- Time-motion study
- Process audit
Correct answer: Direct observation
Direct observation (gemba walk) means going to the actual place of work to see processes firsthand, rather than relying on reports or assumptions.
Question 6: When creating a SMART improvement goal, what does the 'T' stand for?
- Trackable
- Time-bound (Correct answer)
- Transparent
- Thorough
Correct answer: Time-bound
Time-bound means the goal has a specific deadline or timeframe, ensuring accountability and urgency for the improvement effort.
Question 7: A control chart shows several consecutive data points on the same side of the centerline. This pattern is called:
- A trend
- A run (Correct answer)
- A shift
- An outlier
Correct answer: A run
A run is a sequence of consecutive points on one side of the centerline, indicating a possible non-random pattern or process change.
HP Quality Assurance & Improvement 3
Which of the following is the PRIMARY distinction between quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC)?