Quality Assurance and Improvement Flashcards
7 cards from real PCE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Quality Assurance and Improvement flashcards as text
A clinic implements a new outcome measure but staff use it inconsistently. Which QI strategy BEST addresses this?
Answer: Standardize documentation through a protocol and provide staff training
Standardizing the process with a clear protocol and training ensures consistent application of the outcome measure across all staff.
Which of the following BEST describes a 'sentinel event' in healthcare quality management?
Answer: An unexpected occurrence involving death or serious physical or psychological injury
A sentinel event is a serious, unexpected adverse event that results in death or major harm and requires immediate root-cause analysis.
When selecting a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for a QI initiative, which property is MOST important to ensure the tool measures what it claims to measure?
Answer: Validity
Validity confirms that a PROM actually measures the construct it is intended to measure, which is foundational for meaningful quality data.
A physiotherapy manager reviews monthly data showing that patient satisfaction scores dropped after hiring two new therapists. The FIRST appropriate QI step is to:
Answer: Investigate possible causes before drawing conclusions
QI requires understanding root causes before intervening; the drop could reflect many factors beyond therapist performance.
In quality improvement, 'overuse' of a healthcare service refers to:
Answer: Providing care that produces more harm than benefit
Overuse occurs when services are provided in situations where the risks outweigh the expected benefits, wasting resources and potentially harming patients.
Which element is ESSENTIAL in a well-written QI aim statement?
Answer: A specific, measurable target with a defined timeframe
An effective aim statement must specify what will be improved, by how much, and by when — enabling focused and measurable action.
A physiotherapy department uses control charts to monitor patient outcome scores. A control chart shows 9 consecutive data points on the same side of the mean. This pattern indicates:
Answer: A special cause signal requiring investigation
Nine or more consecutive points on one side of the centerline is a recognized special cause rule, suggesting a non-random shift in the process.