Quality Control & Process Improvement Flashcards

Which of the following BEST describes the role of an OEC Medical Advisor in quality improvement?

Answer: Reviewing protocols, approving clinical standards, and providing clinical oversight of the QI program

The Medical Advisor provides physician oversight by reviewing and approving clinical protocols and guiding the quality improvement program from a medical perspective.

An OEC patrol wants to reduce the time from patient contact to oxygen delivery. Which QI approach is MOST appropriate?

Answer: Time-stamp key care steps in PCRs to measure and target improvement

Collecting time-stamped data on key care steps creates measurable baselines and allows the patrol to evaluate whether interventions successfully reduce delays.

Debriefing a mass casualty incident (MCI) simulation is a quality improvement activity because it:

Answer: Allows participants to identify system gaps and improve coordination before a real event

Post-simulation debriefs reveal system-level coordination gaps, communication breakdowns, and protocol weaknesses in a consequence-free environment.

Which of the following is an example of a STRUCTURAL measure in OEC quality improvement?

Answer: Whether the patrol has functioning AEDs, trained patrollers, and written protocols in place

Structural measures assess whether the foundational resources—equipment, qualified personnel, and protocols—are in place to support quality care.

When documenting a quality improvement concern, it is MOST important to:

Answer: Record objective facts, dates, patterns, and relevant context without bias

Objective, timely, and context-rich documentation provides the factual foundation needed to accurately analyze problems and design effective improvements.

A patroller consistently performs excellent patient assessments but rarely documents them on the PCR. The BEST quality improvement response is to:

Answer: Provide targeted coaching on documentation importance and conduct follow-up PCR audits

Coaching that explains why documentation matters—for continuity of care, data, and legal purposes—combined with follow-up auditing addresses the specific gap constructively.

In a quality improvement program, 'trending data over time' is MOST valuable because it:

Answer: Reveals whether improvement efforts are producing lasting change or only temporary results

Trending data over multiple periods distinguishes sustainable improvement from short-term fluctuation, ensuring that QI interventions produce durable results.