Professional Review Guide RHIA/RHIT CH 16

Nina is participating in Human Resources training for new supervisors and has a question for the presenter. "I have an employee who is at the top of the pay scale for her position. Do I still need to do a performance evaluation?" The presenter most likely answers

"Yes, every employee deserves to know how he or she is performing and to set goals."

The staff in the Human Resources Department is proposing a computer-based training program for 200 employees and needs to prepare a budget for the time and cost of the training. • The training program will be 30 minutes in length. • The employees can take the training online at any time. • There are 200 employees to be trained. • The rate of pay for 50 of the employees is $15.50 per hour. • The rate of pay for 50 employees is $12.00 per hour. • The rate of pay for the other 100 employees is $18.00. How much should the training staff request in the budget for doing the computer-based training program?

$1,587.50

Tara is an RHIA who works at a large academic medical center. Her salary of $37,540 is paid 60% from research grants as clinical trial coordinator and 40% by HIM as a database manager. The hospital's fringe benefit rate is 23%. How much must the HIM director include in the budget (rounded to the nearest dollar) to cover Sarah's database management role?

$18,470 $37,540 x 123% = $46,174.20 HIM pays 40% or $46,174.20 x .40 = $18,469.68, rounded to $18,470

Gregg is a recent graduate who has applied for a Trauma Registry position at a Chicago hospital while he prepares to apply to graduate school. In making the decision, he considers the offer of $15 per hour for a 40-hour week, benefits of 27.5% of his salary, and tuition waivers of six credits per year at $145. He calculated that his total compensation, rounded to the nearest dollar, would be

$40,650 $15.00 x 2,080 hours per year = $31,200 x 27.5% = $8,580 Tuition waiver = 6 credits at $145 = $870 Therefore, $31,200, + $8,580 + $870 = $40,650

The staff in the Human Resources Department is proposing a computer-based training program for 200 employees and needs to prepare a budget for the time and cost of the training. • The training program will be 30 minutes in length. • The employees can take the training online at any time. • There are 200 employees to be trained. • The rate of pay for 50 of the employees is $15.50 per hour. • The rate of pay for 50 employees is $12.00 per hour. • The rate of pay for the other 100 employees is $18.00. What would be the average cost for training an employee?

$7.94 $1,587.50/200 employees = 7.938 = $7.94

The staff in the Human Resources Department is proposing a computer-based training program for 200 employees and needs to prepare a budget for the time and cost of the training. • The training program will be 30 minutes in length. • The employees can take the training online at any time. • There are 200 employees to be trained. • The rate of pay for 50 of the employees is $15.50 per hour. • The rate of pay for 50 employees is $12.00 per hour. • The rate of pay for the other 100 employees is $18.00. How many employee clock hours will be needed to complete the training?

100 hours

Madison Taylor, RHIA will be attending an AHIMA conference on information governance Friday from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM and Saturday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM with 90 minutes for lunch. This represents ___ of her hours for her continuing education cycle. (Report a whole number.)

28% She is an RHIA, which requires 30 hours of continuing education every two-year cycle. 8.5/30 = 28.3

Human Resources has recently provided training for and implemented a new performance appraisal system that includes input from managers, peers, and staff. This approach is typically known as

360-degree evaluation.

At Great Plains Regional Hospital, record processing takes approximately 18 minutes. If there are 15,620 discharges for the month, how many staff hours are needed for this volume of work?

4,686 (15,620 x 18) = 281,160 divided by 60 = 4,686

Southwest Health System has numerous semiretired staff. The Human Resources Department has provided training regarding the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). They emphasized that it protects employees and applicants between what ages?

40 and 70

Selena works 40 hours per week at Rio Grande Radiology, which pays time-and-a-half for overtime and double-time for holidays. During the past week, Selena took six hours of unpaid personal leave and worked an eight-hour holiday. How many hours will Selena be paid?

42 Because 8 hours of the holiday are already figured in the work week, add an additional 8 hours for holiday pay. So, 34 + 8 = 42.

Mallory, data integrity unit, must determine the number of full-time employees (FTEs) needed to code 600 discharges per week. It takes an average of 20 minutes to code each record and each coder will work 40 hours per week. How many coders are needed?

5.0

Use the following statistics from Utah Home Health to calculate the absenteeism rate. Month: January Number of employees 20 Number of workdays 22 Total work days lost 25

5.68% 25/(20 x 22) = 0.05681 x 100 = 5.68

Natalie was an orientation counselor in college and knows that a well-designed program can help those new to a setting feel comfortable. As a new manager, she continues her commitment and contributes to new employee orientation. Which of the following statements about orientation programs is NOT true?

A good orientation program can substitute for a job-specific departmental training.

Federal legislation has a significant impact on the workplace. Which of the following requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for individuals to perform essential job functions?

Americans with Disabilities Act

Which of the following scenarios best describes job enrichment as a motivational technique?

Anna is an effective data analyst. In addition to her regular job duties, her supervisor has assigned her to special projects and committee assignments.

In your new position as Director of Health Information Services, you have noticed that department supervisors arbitrarily allow employees to make up missed time due to absences. You decide that you need a policy to reinforce the attendance policy and cut down on tardiness and absences. Which policy statement would support your overall departmental goals?

Changes in work schedules must be approved in advance and depend upon departmental operations.

Puget Sound Health System has set hiring goals and taken steps to guarantee equal employment opportunities for members of protected groups (e.g., American Indians, veterans, etc.). It is complying with

Civil Rights Act.

Virginia is the Record Processing Coordinator, which is a lead position. She has an excellent work record and is able to assist in most work areas of the department. She knows that she could easily get another job within the hospital for the asking. Recently, she has been arriving late and has been uncooperative in dealing with others. As her immediate supervisor, what is the BEST first step in dealing with this situation?

Counsel her by encouraging self-analysis and problem-solving processes.

Conflict is inevitable. What is the LEAST effective way to manage conflict?

Do not intervene: creative solutions often come from conflict.

You are interviewing a candidate for a subpoena clerk position in the release of information section. Which of the following is the LEAST appropriate information to ask an interviewee to provide?

Do you have family responsibilities that would keep you from remaining at a trial?

Emma Miller, RHIA, interviewed one applicant for the new position of data analyst and subsequently hired the applicant. During the 20-minute interview, she told the applicant about the department and hospital and what the job entailed. Much to Emma's disappointment, this newly hired employee did not work out. What went wrong?

Emma failed to interview enough applicants.

Julian supervises the department's coding section. He notices that the coding technician is working 30 additional minutes each day before clocking in at her scheduled starting time. After discussing her timecard with her, he discovers that she is starting work early in order to check the unbilled account report. Under which act are you required to pay her for all hours worked?

Fair Labor Standards Act

As HIM Director, you receive a call from the CEO informing you that she has received a complaint from a patient. The patient reported that one of the coders in your department revealed his diagnosis to his neighbor. What action is recommended?

Gather all the facts prior to meeting with the employee.

As an HIM supervisor, one of your employees reports that a coworker has returned from lunch on numerous occasions with the smell of alcohol on his breath. What is the best approach in handling this problem?

Handle the situation as you would any other disease that affects an employee's work

LaToya Evans has accepted a new position and has given her current manager one month's notice. Human Resources has made an appointment with LaToya to discuss her benefits, investment plan, and an exit interview. The primary value of an exit interview is:

Improving the organization

Jason, an HIM educator, plans to lecture on department design and the legislative act or agency that was created to ensure that workers have a safe and healthy work environment. Which of the following legal issues will he describe?

OSHA

As a new RHIA and coding manager, how likely is it that you will participate on committees?

Occasionally, mostly with your staff

Rachel's work performance has diminished over the last 2 weeks. In addition, she has uncharacteristic mood swings and has exhibited difficulty concentrating. She is also having difficulties with tardiness and attendance. As her supervisor, you meet with Rachel to discuss your concerns. She reveals that she is struggling financially. What action should you take?

Refer her to the Employee Assistance Program.

You work in a unionized organization and have filed a grievance. Which of the following will most likely take place?

The grievance procedure regulations stipulated in the union contract will be followed.

Rebecca, the revenue cycle manager, has received permission to check references for the candidate she would like to add to her team. Which of the following questions is her previous employer least likely to answer?

What was their personal impressions of her?

Summer is the document imaging manager. She has had a meeting with the scanning clerks. They are complaining that the pay rate for their position is too low in their facility. What would be the best way to deal with this complaint?

Work with HR on a job evaluation and current wage and salary survey.

There is an opening for a coder in a 150-bed acute care hospital. The position requires someone who can code from a wide variety of medical records using both ICD and CPT. Of the following candidates interviewing for this position, which would be the most appropriate to hire?

a graduate of a 2-year community college HIT program, RHIT eligible, with 1 year of outpatient coding experience

Human Resource managers increasingly advise which of the following as the best approach for obtaining a legally sound and reliable reference?

a telephone reference from a former supervisor of the applicant

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of committee meetings? a. Committees are cost effective. b. Group process stimulates creativity. c. Group judgment improves decision making. d. Committees enhance acceptance.

a. Committees are cost effective.

The advantages of teams or committees over individuals in complex situations include all of the following EXCEPT: a. Coordination and cooperation can be increased. b. Authority can be counterbalanced. c. Decision making is accomplished more quickly. d. Complex problems can be better assessed.

a. Coordination and cooperation can be increased.

There are a variety of approaches to career development. Which of the following is NOT one of the recognized strategies? a. HR recruiters refer employees for new opportunities within the organization. b. Coaches focus on the learning process, guiding the employee in developing knowledge and skills. c. Mentors have a formal relationship with the proteges, providing expert advice based on personal career experience. d. Supervisors may identify employee potential and set goals, particularly in performance evaluations.

a. HR recruiters refer employees for new opportunities within the organization.

University Health Systems is focusing on fostering a learning environment in the organization. Which of the following characteristics is NOT required? a. academic organization b. reflection on learning c. formal and on-the-job training d. intentional career developmen

a. academic organization

When analyzing discipline problems, which of the following should be considered? a. all of the choices listed here. b. the prior performance of the employee in question c. the frequency of the problem d. the seriousness of the problem

a. all of the choices listed here.

Miranda has decided to accept a position as a manager in a large health system. A key factor was the opportunity to work for a transformational leader. She recognizes all but one of the following characteristics observed that the Health Information Director is a transformational leader. Which of the following characteristics would be least likely to support her decision? a. dependency b. charisma c. mentoring d. risk taking

a. dependency

As telework becomes more common, HIM supervisors will increasingly need to evaluate employees for these virtual office opportunities. Typical criteria include all the following EXCEPT that the employee a. independently identifies required work products. b. checks in frequently with the supervisor. c. is computer literate. d. successfully plans a work production schedule.

a. independently identifies required work products.

One of your new employees has just completed orientation, receiving basic HIPAA training. You are now providing more specific training related to her job. She asks whether the information she provided during the hiring process, as well as benefits claims, are also protected under HIPAA. Which of the following can you assure her that the Human Resources Department protects?

all personal health information (PHI)

Which of the following employees is exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act?

an RHIT who manages the Health Information Services department and is involved with planning and decision-making activities 90% of the time

Employers are required to report the status of employees to the federal government. You need an ICD-10 trainer for six months. You plan to hire an ICD-10-10 trainer with the skills to perform the training. This employee would likely be reported as

an independent contractor.

Yanique is a new supervisor at a mental health facility. She discovers that one of her employees has shared her password with a coworker. This action violates policies and procedures and is the first occasion of difficulty with this employee. Disciplinary action should be taken by

asking for guidance from Human Resources and then acting

Tina, the Coding Supervisor at Highlands Hospital, has heard rumors that her facility is starting a coding training program. Rumor also has it that the HIM Director is trying to recruit the coding supervisor from a neighboring hospital to head up the training position. Tina makes the following statement to the assistant director: "I'm obviously not good enough for the training position. Perhaps I should resign." How should the assistant director respond?

assist Tina in developing her career goals

Research has shown that productivity increases with all of the following actions EXCEPT when a. it becomes the primary goal of management. b. the office environment is reengineered. c. it is measured. d. employees are rewarded for extra output.

b. the office environment is reengineered.

Mark Beck is a new graduate preparing for an interview. In school, he had the opportunity to role-play a technique that requires applicants to give specific examples of how they have performed a specific task or handled a specific problem in the past. This technique is becoming more popular and is known as a(n)

behavioral interview.

Employers may be able to demonstrate that age is a reasonable requirement for a position. Such an exception to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) is called a

bona fide occupational qualification.

Under the Immigration Reform and Control Act, all of the following apply EXCEPT a. noncitizens may not be discriminated against. b. undocumented workers may not be hired. c. U.S. citizens must be given preference. d. applicant must have I-9 documentation.

c. U.S. citizens must be given preference.

Rita Mizner, MBA, RHIA, is Director of Information Services for Mt. Sinai Medical Center. She is well respected for a management style that empowers her staff. All of the following are characteristics of effective delegation, EXCEPT a. explaining exactly what needs to be done. b. providing necessary resources. c. retaining authority to make key decisions. d. agreeing on performance standards.

c. retaining authority to make key decisions.

Your organization's employees consist of a mixture of women and men. The women are of all ages, some are single mothers, others are married women with no children, and still others are women who care for older parents at home. The men also have varying personal lifestyles. Human Resources have designed a new benefit program that allows employees to choose from an array of benefits based on their own needs or lifestyle. The new benefit program is called a(n)

cafeteria benefit plan.

Members of the clinical documentation improvement (CDI) team have developed an extensive communication "grapevine" throughout the hospital. Which of the following is the LEAST effective approach for a manager to take over this type of informal communication?

control and limit interaction as best you can.

After receiving a completed requisitions to fill positions within the HIM Department, Human Resources can be most effective in recruiting qualified applicants with the assistance of a

current job description.

Health care is known for rapid change. Melissa, an RHIA who has just been hired as a systems analyst in Information Technology, understands the importance of being a positive change agent. Which of the following approaches would be LEAST likely to support her approach? a. measuring and celebrating success b. holding on to the vision c. being available to listen to staff d. easing up on delegating

d. easing up on delegating

Krista combined her HIM and legal education and is now a Risk Manager. An employee has a complaint that may be considered a grievance. She should listen to the employee and then

deal with the issue as if it were a bona fide grievance

Chris and Amy, two coders on your team, have come to you complaining that Jane, the discharge clerk, is deliberately holding back charts, causing a coding backlog. You are not sure Jane is really the cause of this problem because Chris and Amy have a history of blaming others for their work-related delays. To determine if Jane is truly a "problem employee" it would be best to first

determine the source the conflict of.

Human Resources provide training for new supervisors. It includes discussion of the Equal Pay Act, which was passed to eliminate discrimination based on which of the following?

employee gender

Keith is director at a medical center that includes a daycare center and has several employees who have young children. He knows that it is important to be familiar with the provisions of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which includes all the following provisions EXCEPT

ensuring any job the employee is qualified for upon return.

Kimberly Wolf wants a Mercedes and the position of Vice President of Information Services. She feels that achieving these goals will provide her with a sense of achievement, prestige, and reputation in the eyes of others. At what level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs is she operating?

esteem

Hannah arrives for work Monday through Friday any time between 7:00 and 9:00 AM, is on the job until at least 3:00 PM, and then may leave any time between 3:00 and 6:00 PM. Hanna's schedule is an example of

flextime.

Which appraisal method places the employees into a set of ordered groups (e.g., top 10%, above average 20%, middle 40%) on the basis of a global measure?

forced ranking

Part of the employment application process is completing I-9 documentation. This compliance requirement is related to

immigration.

The teaching method selected by an instructor influences the student's ability to understand the material. Instructor-led classrooms work best when

in-depth training and interaction are desired.

Niagara Falls Health Center needs occasional help in coding to remain current. Rena, the coding manager, is seeking an individual who is available evenings and weekends and will be responsible for his or her own actions. At a regional HIM meeting, Rena announces that she is looking for a(n)

independent contractor.

Which of the following types of members is best for a committee?

individuals of equal rank and authority

At Orientation a new employee receives the Employee Handbook. All of the following information about the Employee Handbook is true, EXCEPT that

it provides a contractual obligation to continued employment.

Human Resources use a systematic procedure to determine the relative worth of a position to the organization. When this approach is used, compensation for the position is most likely based on

job evaluation.

According to Frederick Herzberg, challenging work, recognition of workers and their accomplishments, and employee self-improvement are examples of

motivators.

HIM professionals increasingly participate on project teams. Tuckman has developed a model describing predictable stages. Which of the following reflects the stage where teams may experience disequilibrium?

norming

You are preparing a training program for specific functional areas of the department (e.g., coding, transcription, etc.). Which of the following is the primary factor to consider in developing an effective training program?

objectives of each functional area

Dana has prepared a performance appraisal for one of her employees. As the HIM director reviews the evaluation, he notes that the employee received an overall rating of "needs improvement." After reading the comments, the director asks Dana to document specific performance improvement recommendations. Dana is unable to do so because she is basing her assessment on her memory of incidents that have occurred over the past year. The director suggests that Dana reassess the employee's evaluation because, ideally, performance appraisals should occur

on a periodic basis.

Employee turnover is expensive and stressful on staff and reflects poorly on managers. The best defense against employee dissatisfaction is

open and honest communication.

Mission Health Systems has contracted with an agency to conduct recruitment and screening of potential candidates. This approach is called

outsourcing.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), prior to employment, it is illegal to require a

physical exam.

Which of the following HIPAA components would the general New Employee Orientation training most likely cover?

physical/workstation security

Grace Holt, RHIA, is the HIM Department Manager. She is reviewing interviewing techniques with Maria Hernandez, RHIT, as she prepares to interview for a new analyst. Grace recommends that Maria should

politely interrupt occasionally to seek clarification.

Gina is the HIPAA Privacy and Security Officer and primary trainer for a regional health system. In determining how a person in a position in a department uses health information, she must certainly review the

position or job description.

Trevor is a new scanning technician. To fulfill your responsibility as a supervisor and to help him learn and complete his work correctly, the best training resource to use would be a

procedure.

A union is engaged in an organizing campaign in a hospital facility. Which activity should management personnel AVOID during this time?

promising employees a pay increase or promotion if they vote against the union

Amanda, an EHR project manager, wants to increase her implementation staff's problem-solving skills. Which of the following approaches is likely to have the best and most long-lasting results?

providing training to develop an EHR implementation work team

Postage charges for Health Information Services have increased over the last quarter. As the Director, you have seen mail envelopes that have been meter-stamped that did not appear to be official hospital business. The best course of action is to

put one person in charge of the meter.

One of the most common rater biases that affect an employee's evaluation is the "halo effect," which suggests that the supervisor

rates the employee on the basis of a strong like or dislike of the person.

In your department, employee performance is rated using a continuous scale range of unsatisfactory through average to outstanding. Some other departments use a discrete system in which the supervisor assigns "fails to meet standards," "meets standards," and "exceeds standards." Both systems being used are

rating scales.

Mary Ellen Smith has been an excellent biller for the past 5 years. Lately, you have noticed that she has the highest error rate and the lowest productivity rate of the entire billing section. She also seems to be distracted and unhappy. You have a conversation with her and she confides that she is having many "personal problems" that are causing her enormous stress. As her supervisor, you

refer her to the Employee Assistance Program.

Eva Pulaski supervises the electronic document management (EDM) section. She is preparing a report that includes a graphic that displays data over time and provides an excellent visualization of quality and quantity trends. This style of a report is called a(n)

run or control chart.

Gary's primary concern is job continuity and adequate health insurance for his large family. What level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs does Gary operate from?

safety

As the manager of the billing department, Jessica has heard from her employees that rumors have been circulating throughout the hospital concerning centralization and layoffs. At a meeting with the CFO, all departments were asked to cut back 15%. What should Jessica tell her employees?

share with employees the facts because she knows them from the meeting

Charles Jones is employed as a regional coding consultant by a corporate hospital chain. In the organization chart, this position would be

shown as a staff position.

The transcription area has an opening for a transcriptionist with demonstrated skill in medical and surgical reports. Which of the following types of tests should be administered?

skill

Your job description states that as Assistant Director of the HIM Department, you will supervise day-to-day operations for the record processing, transcription, and release of information areas. What principle of management is described?

span of control

Elizabeth is the manager of the state cancer registry. In developing a training "to-do list," she is reviewing the staff and what general training and specialized training topics would be necessary. What tool would be most helpful in organizing this information?

spreadsheet with grids identifying who needs what type of training

Samantha is the evening discharge analysis clerk. As the evening supervisor, you personally trained her regarding the correct job procedures and policies. Within the last two months, Samantha has received an oral and written warning for failure to follow job procedures. Your facility utilizes a progressive discipline system. What is the next appropriate step?

suspension

Ty Ngynn is Assistant Director in Information Services. He has made an appointment with the Director of Human Resources to discuss his recent trip to the state HIM meeting with his Director, Wendy Richards. During the trip, Wendy repeatedly asked Ty to her room, suggesting they work on new plans for the department. When Ty declined, Wendy suggested it might not be worthwhile for him to attend future state meetings. The HR Director should

take the complaint seriously and begin a sexual harassment investigation.

Christina is a pharmacy tech who recently earned her RHIA. She is interviewing to become a representative of an international pharmaceutical firm. She would work from home, log in to the corporate website several times a day, and make calls on various pharmacies in her territory. She would visit headquarters about once a quarter. This proposed work arrangement can best be described as

telecommuting.

The employee selection process increasingly involves a background check. All of the following are true EXCEPT

that the extent depends on the level of the employee's authority.

As manager of release of information, you supervise an employee who has been a correspondence clerk for many years. Her performance has gradually diminished and has become substandard. What method would most likely prove to be INEFFECTIVE in assisting this employee in improving her performance?

threatening to fire the employee

The HIPAA Privacy and Security Rule requires that training be documented. What methods of documenting training efforts need to be used?

training content, training dates, and attendee names

To ensure consistency of coverage among trainers, you may want to develop

training manuals.

Using Donabedian's framework for quality assessment (structure, process, and outcome), which of the following is an appropriate human resource outcome?

turn-over rate

Holly is the day supervisor who works from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Kim is the evening supervisor who works from 2:00 PM to 11:00 PM. Sarah is a transcriptionist who works from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, which overlaps the day and evening shifts. Sarah asked Holly, the day supervisor, if she could leave early for personal reasons. Holly said Sarah could leave early if Kim, the evening supervisor, agrees. Which theory of management does this situation violate?

unity of command

All of the following principles are illustrated in an organizational chart EXCEPT

unity of direction.

Fareeda's methods improvement objectives are to use an organized approach to determine how to accomplish a task with less effort in less time or at a lower cost while maintaining or improving the quality of the outcome. Frequently, methods improvement is referred to as

work simplification.