Practice questions Domain-5

In preparation for the implementation of an electronic health record (EHR), Ruth spends most of her training time in the EHR test system clicking through screens and developing workflows. Ruth is most likely what type of sensory learner? a. Auditory b. Visual c. Tactile d. Kinesthetic

417. d Kinesthetic learners favor a hands-on approach to learning so they can feel and manipulate the material. This may involve clicking through computer screens rather than reading an instruction manual

Generally, substantial performance by one party to a contract will obligate the other party: a. To perform their contractual obligations b. Not to perform their contractual obligations c. To void the contract d. To invalidate the contract

A. A contract action arises when one party claims that the other party has failed to meet an obligation set forth in a valid contract. Another way to state this is that the other party has breached the contract. The resolution available is either compensation or performance of the obligation

The time required to recoup the cost of an investment is called the: a. Accounting rate of return b. Budget cycle c. Payback period d. Depreciation

C The payback period is the time required to recoup the cost of an investment. Mortgage refinancing analysis frequently uses the concept of payback period. Mortgage refinancing is considered when interest rates have dropped. Refinancing may require up-front interest payments and called points as well as a variety of administrative costs. In this example, the payback period is the time it takes for the savings in interest to equal the cost of the refinancing

Which of the following is a common outcome of conflict in the workplace? a. Increased morale b. Increased retention c. Feeling of safety d. Decreased productivity

Sometimes problems arise because of conflicts among employees. It is common for people to disagree, and sometimes a difference of opinion can increase creativity. However, too much conflict can also waste time, reduce productivity, and decrease morale. When taken to the extreme, it can threaten the safety of employees and cause damage to property

The leader of the coding performance improvement team wants all team members to clearly understand the coding process. What tool could help accomplish this objective? a. Flowchart b. Force-field analysis c. Pareto chart d. Scatter diagram

a To help all members understand the process, a team will undertake development of a flowchart. This work allows the team to thoroughly understand every step in the process and the sequence of steps. It provides a picture of each decision point and each event that must be completed. It readily points out places where there is redundancy and complex and problematic areas

Stacy is the nursing manager for the cardiology services at a local hospital. The hospital has recently emphasized a policy requiring all managers to track and report their employees' absences from work. Stacy feels that this requirement is time-consuming and unnecessary. Why would the hospital require their managers to complete this process? a. Reports of absences are tabulated and examined for a possible HAI connection. b. Reports of absences are used to determine employee satisfaction. c. Administration is concerned about the hospital's image in the community. d. Administration is attempting to micromanage their clinical services

a An aspect of infection surveillance involves employee health and illness tracking. Employees are a critical vector for bringing community-acquired infections into healthcare settings. Policies related to the tracking of employee absences exist for the specific purpose of preventing infection via healthcare workers. Reports of employee absences are tabulated and examined for any possible connection to cases of HAI

The leaders of a healthcare entity are expected to select an entity-wide performance improvement approach and to clearly define how all levels of the entity will monitor and address improvement issues. The Joint Commission requires ongoing data collection that might require possible improvement for which of the following areas? a. Operative and other invasive procedures, medication management, and blood and blood product use b. Blood and blood product use, medication management, and appointment to the board of directors c. Medication management, marketing strategy, and blood use d. Operative and other invasive procedures, appointments to the board of directors, and restraint and seclusion use

a Appointments to the board of directors is important information, but the Joint Commission requires detailed information on the responsibilities and actions of the board, not necessarily its composition. The Joint Commission requires healthcare organizations to collect data on each of these areas: medication management, blood and blood product use, restraint and seclusion use, behavior management and treatment, operative and other invasive procedures, and resuscitation and its outcomes

Use of a variety of content delivery methods to accommodate different types of learners is called: a. Blended learning b. Programmed learning c. Classroom learning d. Online learning

a Blended learning uses several delivery methods thereby gaining the advantages and reducing the disadvantages of each method alone

What is it called when accrediting bodies such as the Joint Commission, rather than the government, can survey facilities for compliance with the Medicare Conditions of Participation for hospitals? a. Deemed status b. Judicial decision c. Subpoena d. Credentialing

a Deemed status means accrediting bodies such as the Joint Commission can survey facilities for compliance with the Medicare Conditions of Participation for hospitals instead of government

Which of the following best describes the role of innovation in strategic thinking as compared to other management tools and approaches? a. It creates new market opportunities and serves as the driving force behind growth andprofitability. b. It is an additional function that one learns after mastering other management functions. c. It is a replacement for certain leadership functions. d. It is the only goal of a strategic leader.

a Innovation should.be seen as an essential part of strategic thinking rather than a replacement or additional part of management

Western States Medical Center consistently sends their HIM staff to AHIMA's component state association annual conference in an effort to provide continuing education and training for these employees. How does this investment in continuing education by Western States Medical Center support their commitment to quality? a. By providing a culture of competence through staff development and learning b. By allowing employees the opportunity to meet people from other organizations c. By providing employees time away from the department d. By allowing the organization to spend down its resources

a Organizations that embrace ongoing performance improvement do so because their leaders foster a culture of competence through staff self-development and lifelong learning. The competitive advantage for healthcare organizations today lies in their intellectual capital and organizational effectiveness

What is the process of finding, soliciting, and attracting new employees called? a. Recruitment b. Retention c. Orientation d. Hiring

a Recruitment is the process of finding, soliciting, and attracting new employees. However, the manager should be sure to understand the organization's recruitment and hiring policies and to seek the assistance of the HR department before the vacancy is publicized

An implementation plan is developed to ensure successful execution and includes: a. Strategies, goals, and objectives b. Vision, mission, and values c. External and internal assessments d. Timelines, resource needs, and vision

a The implementation plan outlines each strategy and then details how to achieve the strategy using goals and objectives

If parties to a contract agree to hold each other harmless for each other's actions or inactions, this is referred to as a(n): a. Indemnification b. Liability c. Offer d. Warranty

a The purpose of hold harmless or indemnification clauses is to either transfer or assume liability. For example, the indemnitor (party assuming liability) may agree to hold the other party harmless against claims arising from the indemnitor's own actions or failures to act. This means if actions (or inactions) result in harm to the other party, the indemnitor will seek to make that party whole, often through some sort of compensation

Which of the following would not be included in a healthcare entity's strategic profile? a. Nature of its threats and opportunities b. Nature of its customers or users c. Nature of its market segments d. Nature of its geographic markets

a The strategic profile identifies the existing key services or products of the department or organization, the nature of its customers and users, the nature of its market segments, and the nature of its geographic markets

Connie is the education manager for a national coding service company. Once a month she records a webinar for all her coding personnel to review coding updates, answer questions, and provide continuing education. The webinar is recorded so that all personnel have an opportunity to review the material on their own time and at their own convenience. Questions are directed to Connie via email. This is an example of what type of training method? a. Asynchronous b. Synchronous c. Simulation d. Classroom-based

a The use of a recorded webinar is an example of asynchronous learning. Asynchronous learning occurs when the instructor and students are not present at the same time

What is the difference between a credential and a license? a. Only a credential requires continuing education credits to remain active. b. A license is a legal authorization to practice, whereas a credential is a formal agreement. c. Only a license requires an applicant to pass a qualifying examination. d. There is no difference

b A credential is a formal agreement to practice granted by a professional organization, whereasa license is a legal authorization to practice granted by a by a state

A strategy map can be a useful tool because it: a. Provides a record of progress toward goals b. Provides a visual framework for integrating strategies c. Enables others to better understand the vision underlying change d. Enables assignment of essential resources to execute the plan

b A strategy map is a tool that provides a visual representation of an organization's critical objectives and the relationships among them that drive organizational performance. Depicting change as a road map is a useful way to help others understand the goals and the course of change

Which of the following statements is not true about a business associate agreement? a. It prohibits the business associate from using or disclosing PHI for any purpose other than that described in the contract with the covered entity. b. It allows the business associate to maintain PHI indefinitely. c. It prohibits the business associate from using or disclosing PHI in any way that would violate the HIPAA Privacy Rule. d. It requires the business associate to make available all of its books and records relating to PHI use and disclosure to the Department of Health and Human Services or its agents.

b Agreements between the covered entity and a business associate include: requiring the business associate to make available all of its books and records relating to protected health information (PHI) use and disclosure to the Department of Health and Human Services or its agent; prohibiting the business associate from using or disclosing PHI in any way that would violate the HIPAA Privacy Rule; and prohibiting the business associate from using or disclosing PHI for any purpose other than that described in the contract with the covered entity; and other agreements. But it does not allow the business associate to maintain PHI indefinitely

Which of the following is a statement made by one party to induce another party to enter intoa contract? a. Ultra vires b. Warranty c. Agreement d. Indemnification

b All contracts include representations or warranties of some sort, which are statements of facts existing at the time the contract is made. These statements are made by one party to induce the other party to enter the contract. Typically, these statements relate to the quality of goods or services purchased or leased

Which of the following are alternate work scheduling techniques? a. Compressed workweek, open systems, and job sharing b. Flextime, telecommuting, and compressed workweek c. Telecommuting, open systems, and flextime d. Flextime, outsourcing, compressed workweek

b Alternate work schedules are alternatives to the regular 40-hour workweek; the following are examples: compressed workweek, flextime, and job sharing

A physician who provides care in a healthcare facility, is not employed by the healthcare entity and therefore not under the direct control or supervision of another, and is personally responsible for his or her negligent acts and carries his or her own professional liability insurance is considered a(n) _______ to the healthcare entity. a. Agent b. Independent contractor c. Supervisor d. Vendor

b Each provider who practices care under the auspices of a healthcare organization must do so in accordance with delineated clinical privileges. One of the requirements for these privileges is for the individual to carry his or her own professional liability insurance and therefore that provider is considered an independent contractor within the healthcare organization

What is the best description of the consulting services variance? a. Favorable, permanent b. Unfavorable, permanent c. Favorable, temporary d. Unfavorable, temporary

b It is unfavorable and permanent because money that was not in the budget was spent on consulting services

Sarah is not clear about why she needs to collect so much data as she performs her HIM job. Sarah's manager explains that the basic premise behind collecting job analysis data is to determine the job requirements and delineate appropriate ________and ________. a. Task frequency; task importance b. Position classification; grade level assignments c. Management reporting relationships; job specifications d. Job crafting; job redesign

b Job analysis data is collected to determine job requirements and delineate appropriate position classification and grade-level assignments

Which of the following is a characteristic of an organized medical staff as recognized by the Joint Commission? a. Peer review activities are optional unless requested by a physician. b. Fully licensed physicians are permitted by law to provide patient care services. c. Delineation of clinical privileges is not necessary. d. The medical staff is not subject to medical staff bylaws or rules, regulations, and policies, and is subject to a professional code of ethics.

b Like any organization, the medical staff, as a self-governing entity, needs to have structure. The medical staff bylaws provide an organizational structure to ensure communication with the governing body and high-quality patient care. Committees are used to help most medical staffs function. This committee structure is used to make credentialing and clinical privilege decisions

Which of the following is an example of a budget used as a controlling tool? a. Doing a cost-benefit analysis for a new piece of scanning equipment b. Responding to a monthly budget variance report c. Preparing a zero-based budget d. Creating a cost justification for a budget committee

b Once the budget preparation period is over and budget reports are issued, the budget becomes a controlling tool. The other examples occur when the budget is being used as a planning tool

Disciplinary action: a. Should vary based on to whom the employee reports b. Should be documented at each step in the process c. Should be taken whenever there is a performance problem d. Cannot be taken when employees are unionized

b Regardless of the counseling and disciplinary actions mandated by the organization, managers should take some key steps of their own such as documenting the steps taken to improve performance

All of the following are risks that must be considered when entering into an outsourcing contract except: a. Poor security b. Efficient productivity c. Quality problems d. Unbalanced work distribution

b Risks that must be considered for both outsourcing and offshoring include poor security, hidden costs, lack of or improper communication, poor resource management, unbalanced work distribution or dissemination, lack of technology, quality problems, high turnover rates, and legal problems

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employees receive protection with respect to their job duties if they are able to perform the necessary functions of a job: a. As the job exists b. With reasonable accommodations c. With changes to the work arrangements d. While sharing the job with another employee

b The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 protects individuals with disabilities. Employees must be able to perform the necessary functions of a job with "reasonable accommodations," which include modifications to the workplace or conditions of employment so that a disabled worker can perform the job

Capital budgeting differs from operational budgeting in what manner? a. It is generally limited to one fiscal year. b. It involves high-dollar purchases and multiple-year projects. c. It is usually started after completing the operating budget. d. It is for purchases other than equipment

b The capital budget looks at long-term investments. Such investments are usually related to improvements in the facility infrastructure, expansion of services, or replacement of existing assets. Capital investments focus on either the appropriateness of an investment (given the facility's investment guidelines) or choosing among different opportunities to invest. The capital budget is the facility's plan for allocating resources over and above the operating budget

During the internal assessment component of strategic planning, a successful HIM manager works closely with employees from each of the following departments except: a. Information technology department b. HIM department at local competitor hospital c. Medical staff leadership d. Nursing and other ancillary departments

b The external assessment focuses outside the organization, getting employees opinion is part of the internal assessment

Approaches that help an organization to achieve its strategies are called: a. Forecasting b. Goals c. Visioning d. Managing

b The key to implementation or achieving its strategies is identifying goals to achieve each strategy. Visioning and forecasting are key to identifying strategies not implementation

Which tool is used to determine the most critical areas for training and education for a group of employees? a. Performance evaluation b. Needs analysis c. Orientation assessment d. Job specification

b The needs analysis is critical to the design of the training plan. This approach typically focuses on three levels: the organization, the specific job tasks, and the individual employee

Monitoring incidents of patients' falls can be used to measure effectiveness of hospital staff. This type of indicator would be considered a(n): a. Employee measure b. Clinical measure c. Human resource measure d. Process measure

b There must be at least two clinical measures and two human resources indicators for each patient population, defined by internal performance improvement activities. At a minimum, the organization identifies no fewer than two inpatient care areas for which staffing effectiveness data are collected. Identified performance measures relate to processes appropriate to the care and services provided and to problem-prone areas experienced in the past (for example, infection rates or incidences of patient falls). The rationale for indicator selection is based on relevance and sensitivity to each patient area where staffing is planned

All variances (as related to accounting) should be labeled as either: a. Good or bad b. Favorable or unfavorable c. Positive or negative d. Over budget or under budget

b Variances are often calculated on the monthly budget report. The organization's policies and procedures manual defines unacceptable variances or variances that must be explained. In identifying variances, it is important to recognize whether the variance is favorable or unfavorable and whether it is temporary or permanent

The Joint Commission has published a list of abbreviations classified as "Do Not Use" for the purpose of: a. Assisting coders to read physician handwriting b. Preventing potential medication errors due to misinterpretation c. Making terminology consistent in preparation for electronic records d. Identifying physicians who are dispensing large quantities of drugs

b. Preventing potential medication errors due to misinterpretation- Healthcare organizations need to be very clear about which abbreviations are not acceptable to use when writing or communicating medication orders. The organization's policy should also define whether or when the diagnosis, condition, or indication for use is included on a medication order

Helen is the HIM department head and has been asked to share a SWOT analysis of her department with her new boss. One aspect of Helen's SWOT analysis indicates that the chart tracking software is over 10 years old and is not compatible with the digital dictation system. In a SWOT analysis, this would be a(n): a. Strength b. Weakness c. Opportunity d. Threat

b. Weakness-SWOT analysis looks at the internal strengths of an organization or department, and the external opportunities and threats. These are considered to be elements that the department can control. In this scenario there is a weakness due to the outdated chart tracking software that is not compatible with the digital dictation system

Sandy is coder but would like to be a privacy officer one day. Joan, the privacy officer at her hospital, has agreed to help Sandy on her career path. Joan has suggested that Sandy begin to look at master's degree programs and has taken her to a local association meeting where she can begin to network with other privacy officers. This is an example of: a. Continuing education b. Job rotation c. Mentoring d. Succession planning

c A mentor provides advice on developing skills and career options. In this situation Joan is mentoring Sandy towards her goal of becoming a privacy officer

The percent of antibiotics administered immediately prior to open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) surgeries or the percent of deliveries accomplished by cesarean section are examples of what type of performance measure? a. Outcome measure b. Data measure c. Process measure d. System measure

c A process measure has a scientific basis for it. In this example, the percentage of antibiotics administered before surgery has been proven through evidence-based medicine, so it is scientifically based

Jane's mother is a resident at Apple Valley Nursing Home. Jane is concerned that her mother is developing an ulcer on her hip. Jane has brought concern to the attention of both the director of nursing and the facility administer with no resolution. Jane contacts the State Department of Health and files a complaint. From this scenario, predict what will occur next at Apple Valley Nursing Home. a. Jane will receive a letter thanking her for her concern. b. CMS will contact the nursing home administrator by phone. c. A health surveyor will visit the nursing home. d. The director of nursing will contact CMS.

c After a complaint by a resident, family member, or employees, a Department of Health surveyor may visit a facility at any time to perform a special investigation. This investigation is to ensure that proper is being received by the resident in question and another other within the organization

Before the on-site survey team leaves the healthcare facility, they meet with the organization's leadership team and provide a report of their findings. This meeting is called: a. Closing meeting b. Preliminary report c. Exit conference d. Convening authority

c After the team develops the preliminary report, surveyors, members of the organization's leadership team, and a representative from the state's licensing agency, if applicable, reconvene for an exit conference. During the exit conference, surveyors summarize their findings and explain any deficiencies identified during the site visit. Leaders have a short opportunity to discuss the surveyors' perspectives or to provide additional information related to any deficiencies

Nurse Joan is working in the ICU at University Hospital. She is carrying out Dr. Jones's order for a medication prescribed to one of her patients. She has received the medication and is preparing to administer it to the patient. Upon entering the patient's room, she asks the patient his name and date of birth and compares this information to the label on the medication. Joan then administers the medication to the patient. This scenario is an example of: a. Improving communication between hospital staff b. Preventing wrong-patient mistakes that can be made in surgery c. Using two patient identifiers to verify patient identity d. Identifying patient safety risks

c All healthcare organizations are mandated by regulation to examine care processes that have a potential for error that can cause injury to patients. NPSG 01.01.01 states that two patient identifiers are used when administering medications, blood, or blood components

The focus of conflict management is: a. Getting personal counseling for the parties involved b. Separating the parties involved so that they do not have to work together c. Working with the parties involved to find a mutually acceptable solution d. Bringing disciplinary action against one party or the other

c Conflict management focuses on working with the individuals involved to find a mutually acceptable solution. There are three ways to address conflict: compromise, control, and constructive confrontation

Which of the following best describes an example of a consumer engagement activity in which HIM professionals might engage? a. Coding roundtables b. Chargemaster updates c. Patient portal training d. New employee orientation

c Consumer engagement activities both educate the consumer and make them more responsible for their personal health and health information. Patient portal training helps the consumer to better manage their own health information

The HIM department at University Hospital is assessing means of remuneration that will impact employee and manager performance. All of the items should be considered when evaluating pay for performance initiatives except: a. Aggregation of data for assessing pay for performance should be standardized and not require an extensive amount of management time to collect. b. Performance appraisals should be designed to account for the nature of job performance. c. Human resources does not need to provide training to HIM managers on how to calculate performance appraisal results in relation to pay for performance ratings. d. Performance appraisals should have built-in dynamic performance ratings that take into account variable work performance.

c Human resources needs to provide training to managers on how to calculate performance appraisal results in relation to pay-for-performance ratings

Joe is hired as a floater in a health information department to fill in wherever help is needed. He learns the jobs of several employees. This is an example of: a. Outsourcing b. Physical training c. Cross-training d. Performance evaluation

c In cross-training, the employee learns to perform the jobs of many team members. This method is most useful when work teams are involved

Annual renewal of fire safety and disaster preparedness are topics that may be addressed best through training known as: a. Job rotation b. Customer service c. In-service education d. Pay for performance

c In-service education is a continuous process that builds on the basic skills learned through new employee orientation and on-the-job training. It is concerned with teaching employees specific skills and behaviors required to maintain job performance

During her new employee orientation, Katie is paired with another coder who shows Katie to her workstation, explains the organization's coding guidelines, takes her to lunch, and explains the online encoder. This orientation is taking place at what level? a. Organizational b. Departmental c. Individual d. Administrative

c Individual orientation covers those job duties and responsibilities unique to the person's job in the department

Hiring a known and proven employee with an understanding of the organization and improving morale among current employees are both: a. Advantages to external recruitment b. Disadvantages to external recruitment c. Advantages to internal recruitment d. Disadvantages to internal recruitment

c Internal candidates are individuals that are already employed by an organization. One of the advantages of hiring an internal candidate is that the candidate is a proven employee with an understanding of the organization. Hiring internal candidates can also improves the morale and a sense of loyalty for current employees

Coders at Medical Center Hospital are expected to do a high volume of coding. Their department also includes a clerical support person who handles phone calls, pulls and files records to be coded, and maintains productivity logs. An abstract clerk enters coded data into the health information system. This is an example of ________ work division. a. Parallel b. Unit c. Serial d. Serial unit

c Serial work division is the consecutive handling of tasks or products by individuals who perform a specific function in sequence. Often referred to as a production line work division, serial work division tends to create task specialists

What kind of planning addresses long-term needs and sets comprehensive plans of action? a. Tactical b. Operational c. Strategic d. Administrative

c Strategic management is a process a leader uses for assessing a changing environment to create a vision of the future, determining how the organization fits into the anticipated environment based on its mission, vision, and knowledge of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and then setting in motion a plan of action to position the organization accordingly

Which of the following statements describes a critical skill for a strategic manager? a. Ability to change direction quickly b. Ability to deliver results on budget c. Ability to envision relationships between trends and opportunities d. Ability to design jobs and match peoples' skills to them

c Strategic managers develop skills reflecting the implications and opportunities afforded by trends. Whether reading a journal or discussing new ideas with others, strategic managers are always testing new ideas, identifying those that have merit, and discarding those that do not. They are creating links between the trends and the value-adding actions they can take

The HIM director at University Hospital would like to perform a mock survey on the Joint Commission information management standards. The committee that the HIM director should contact is the: a. Ethics committee b. Medical executive committee c. Accreditation committee d. Quality management committee

c The accreditation committee performs mock surveys and identifies gaps between actual performance and optimal performance relative to accreditation standards

A Joint Commission accredited organization must review their formulary annually to ensure a medication's continued: a. Safety and dose b. Efficiency and efficacy c. Efficacy and safety d. Dose and efficiency

c The formulary is composed of medications used for commonly occurring conditions or diagnoses treated in the healthcare organization. Organizations accredited by the Joint Commission are required to maintain a formulary and document that they review at least annually for a medication's continued safety and efficacy

As part of the CARF accreditation process, reviewers examine policies and procedures, administrative rules and regulations, administrative records, human resource records, and the case records of patients. This process is called: a. Performance improvement b. Compliance c. Document review d. Deemed status

c The second part of the CARF accreditation is the document review. The document review is an in-depth study in which accreditation surveyors examine an organization's policies and procedures, administrative rules and regulations, administrative records, human resources records, and the case records of patients

One of the most common issues that healthcare organizations fail to do well in the strategic process is: a. Develop a vision b. Develop strategies c. Execute the implementation plan d. Communicate the plan

c The strategic goals and objectives need to be clearly outlined, with assignments for who will be accountable, timelines, allocation of resources, and measurements that will be used to ensure success of implementation. When a detailed implementation includes the elements laid out clearly—with timeframes and regular updates provided within the organization—the likelihood of strategic success increases significantly

Which of the following would be considered a discriminatory practice in the employment setting? a. Denial of employment based on criminal record. b. Screening out an applicant who does not meet the minimum qualifications for the position. c. Denial of employment based on religion. d. Hiring a person based on vision of the healthcare entity

c There are several laws that affect discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, citizenship status, and veterans status. Most organizations would like to hire someone whose vision for the organization is in line with their own vision

Which of the following is true about contracts? a. They must be in writing. b. They must be express. c. They must contain an offer and acceptance. d. They must contain a request for proposal

c To be legally enforceable under civil law, a contract must comply with any applicable state and federal laws, and it must meet the following conditions: it must describe an agreement between two or more person or entities, it must include a valid offer, acceptance of the offer, and consideration

Which one of the variances will the HIM director be required to explain? a. Only the consulting services variance b. Only the payroll variance c. Both the payroll and consulting services variances d. Neither because the two variances cancel each other out

c When the operating budget has been developed and approved, it is the responsibility of the department manager to ensure the budget goals are met and to explain all variances

Which of the following is considered a viable solution to a staff recruitment problem for coding and transcription shortages? a. Delegation b. Job distribution c. Overtime d. Telecommuting

d Alternative staffing structures offer flexibility in hours, location, and job responsibilities as a method to attract and retain employees and eliminate staffing shortages. Some examples are job sharing, outsourcing, flextime, and telecommuting

Heather and Jim are both coders at Medical Center Hospital. The hospital allows them to set their own hours as long as one of them is in the office between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. so they are accessible to physicians. This kind of work arrangement is called: a. Telecommuting b. Compressed workweek c. Outsourcing d. Flextime

d Flextime generally refers to the employee's ability to work by varying his or her starting and stopping hours around a core of midshift hours, such as 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Depending on their position and the institution, employees may have a certain degree of freedom in determining their hours

The act of granting a healthcare organization or an individual healthcare practitioner permission to provide services of a defined scope in a limited geographical area is called: a. Approval b. Certification c. Accreditation d. Licensure

d Licensure is a state's act of granting a healthcare organization or an individual healthcare practitioner permission to provide services of a defined scope in a limited geographical area. State governments issue licenses based on regulations specific to healthcare practices

Which of the following is a characteristic of strategic management? a. Shifting the balance of power to the employees b. Creating a plan to avoid change within the healthcare entity c. A description of specific implementation plans d. A plan to improve the healthcare entity's fit with the external world

d Strategic management is a process a leader uses for assessing a changing environment to create a vision of the future, determining how the organization fits into the anticipated environment based on its mission, vision, and knowledge of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and then setting in motion a plan of action to position the organization accordingly

What is the first step in a successful departmental training and development plan? a. Designing the curriculum b. Selecting the delivery methods c. Determining the latest hot topic d. Performing a needs analysis

d The needs analysis is the first step to the design of a training and development plan. This approach typically focuses on three levels: the organization, the specific job tasks and the individual employee

At the beginning of a recent accreditation visit, the surveyors met with key leaders of the organization. During the meeting, an outline of the schedule was discussed and key interviewees were identified. What is the term for this important accreditation meeting? a. Pre-accreditation meeting b. Preliminary meeting c. Compulsory review d. Opening conference

d The opening conference, a meeting conducted at the beginning of the accreditation site visit during which the surveyors outline the schedule of activities and list any individuals whom they would like to interview, is an important opportunity for the organization to set the tone for the survey process

Which one of the following statements best reflects the current strategic planning environment? a. The focus of strategic planning has become narrower in scope. b. Because strategic planning is so complex, it requires fairly complex database support. c. Strategic plans must project three to five years into the future if they are to be effective. d. Because the environment is volatile, strategic planning must be fluid and open to change

d The rapidly changing landscape in healthcare requires the strategic planning process be open to change to achieve the vision and strategy

The vision of a health information services department should: a. Stand alone as a guiding force for the department b. Be developed by the director of the health information services department c. Be limited by organizational constraints d. Reflect the vision of the organization

d The strategic planning process requires the involvement of each department setting its vision in alignment with the organization and should include the department stakeholders and not be limited by organizational constraints

When implementing health information management training, determining who needs to be trained, who should do the training, how much training is required, and how the training will be accomplished is the responsibility of: a. The vendor b. Information systems c. Health information management d. The implementation team

d Training is essential to the successful implementation of each new system. The implementation team must define who needs to be trained, who should do the training, how much training is required, and how the training will be accomplished

At Community Health Services, each budget cycle provides the opportunity to continue or discontinue services based on available resources so that every department or activity must be justified and prioritized annually in order to effectively allocate resources. Community Health uses what type of operational budget? a. Activity-based b. Fixed c. Flexible d. Zero-based

d Zero-based budgets apply to organizations for which each budget cycle poses the opportunity to continue or discontinue services based on the availability of resources. Every department or activity must be justified and prioritized annually in order to effectively allocate the organization's resources. Professional associations and charitable foundations, for example, routinely use zero-based budgeting