Performance Improvement and Quality Management Flashcards
7 cards from real RHIT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Performance Improvement and Quality Management flashcards as text
A fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram is primarily used to:
Answer: Identify possible causes of a problem
A fishbone diagram visually maps potential root causes of a problem across categories such as people, process, equipment, and environment.
An unexpected event involving patient death or serious injury that is not related to the natural course of illness is classified as a:
Answer: Sentinel event
A sentinel event is an unexpected occurrence resulting in death or serious physical or psychological harm, requiring immediate investigation and response per Joint Commission standards.
Which of the following BEST describes a 'near miss' in a healthcare quality context?
Answer: An error that is caught before reaching the patient
A near miss is an event or situation that could have resulted in patient harm but was intercepted before reaching the patient, providing an opportunity to prevent future errors.
The measure 'hospital readmission rate within 30 days' is an example of which type of quality indicator?
Answer: Outcome indicator
An outcome indicator measures the end result of care delivery for patients, such as readmission rates, mortality, or complication rates.
In healthcare quality management, 'utilization review' primarily focuses on:
Answer: Evaluating the medical necessity and appropriateness of services
Utilization review evaluates whether healthcare services provided are medically necessary, appropriate, and delivered in the right care setting, helping to control costs and ensure quality.
A hospital conducts a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) before implementing a new medication administration process. This is an example of:
Answer: Proactive risk assessment
FMEA is a proactive tool used to identify potential failure points and their consequences before a process is implemented, allowing teams to prevent problems before they occur.
Which statistical tool is BEST used to monitor whether a process is in statistical control over time?
Answer: Control chart
A control chart plots data points over time with upper and lower control limits, allowing quality teams to distinguish between common cause variation and special cause variation.