MHA Healthcare Operations and Supply Chain 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which process improvement methodology uses Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control phases?
- Lean manufacturing
- Six Sigma DMAIC (Correct answer)
- Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA)
- Root cause analysis
Correct answer: Six Sigma DMAIC
Six Sigma's DMAIC framework provides a structured, data-driven methodology for improving existing processes by identifying and eliminating defects.
Question 2: In healthcare supply chain, what is a 'group purchasing organization' (GPO)?
- A government agency that regulates medical device pricing
- An entity that leverages the collective purchasing power of member hospitals to negotiate discounts with vendors (Correct answer)
- A hospital department that manages inventory
- A joint venture between competing health systems
Correct answer: An entity that leverages the collective purchasing power of member hospitals to negotiate discounts with vendors
GPOs aggregate the purchasing volume of many hospitals to negotiate lower prices and better contract terms with medical suppliers and vendors.
Question 3: What does 'inventory turnover' measure in a hospital supply chain?
- Staff scheduling efficiency
- How many times inventory is used and replaced over a period (Correct answer)
- The ratio of clinical to non-clinical supplies
- Vendor delivery time performance
Correct answer: How many times inventory is used and replaced over a period
Inventory turnover measures how frequently a hospital's supply inventory is consumed and replenished, with higher turnover indicating more efficient inventory management.
Question 4: Which scheduling methodology aims to match staff levels to patient demand, reducing both overand under-staffing?
- Fixed staffing ratios
- Flexible (acuity-based) staffing (Correct answer)
- Block scheduling
- Self-scheduling only
Correct answer: Flexible (acuity-based) staffing
Acuity-based or flexible staffing adjusts nurse and staff assignments based on real-time patient census and complexity rather than fixed predetermined ratios.
Question 5: What is the primary goal of implementing a 'lean' methodology in hospital operations?
- Reducing the number of employees
- Eliminating waste and non-value-added activities to improve efficiency and patient flow (Correct answer)
- Increasing the volume of elective surgeries
- Standardizing physician compensation
Correct answer: Eliminating waste and non-value-added activities to improve efficiency and patient flow
Lean healthcare focuses on identifying and eliminating the eight types of waste (e.g., waiting, overproduction, defects) to streamline patient care delivery.
Question 6: What is 'throughput' in the context of hospital operations management?
- The total number of beds in a facility
- The rate at which patients move through and complete their care journey (Correct answer)
- The volume of supplies consumed per month
- The number of insurance claims processed daily
Correct answer: The rate at which patients move through and complete their care journey
Throughput measures how efficiently patients flow through the system from admission to discharge, directly affecting capacity and financial performance.
MHA Healthcare Operations and Supply Chain 1
Which process improvement methodology uses Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control phases?