CPHQ Exam Questions Tutorials

A control chart, also known as a Shewhart chart or process-behavior chart, is a statistical tool used to monitor how a process changes over time. It helps distinguish between common causevariations (natural fluctuations inherent to the process) and special cause variations (unexpected fluctuations due to specific factors). By plotting data points in time order and establishing upper and lower control limits, control charts enable quality professionals to identify when a process is operating outside of its expected parameters, signaling the need for further investigation.

In contrast, a bar chart is a graphical representation of categorical data with rectangular bars, a Pareto chart is a type of bar chart that identifies the most significant factors in a dataset, and a run chart displays data points over time without control limits. While these tools are useful for various purposes, they do not provide the same level of insight into process stability and variation as control charts.

To support patient safety when deploying a new admissions process from the emergency department, the healthcare quality professional should suggest completing a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) during the design stage. FMEA is a proactive tool used to identify potential failure points in a process and assess their impact on patient safety. By analyzing the process before it is implemented, the organization can anticipate and mitigate risks, ensuring a safer rollout of the new process.

Examining the new process for stability and variation using a control chart (A): This is typically done after implementation to monitor ongoing performance, not during the design stage.

Conducting a root cause analysis (C): Root cause analysis is reactive and used after an error has occurred, making it unsuitable for proactive safety planning.

Analyzing incident reports using a Pareto chart (D): This is useful for identifying common causes of past issues but does not directly contribute to the safety design of a new process.

References

NAHQ Body of Knowledge: Risk Management and FMEA

NAHQ CPHQ Exam Preparation Materials:Proactive Safety Design and FMEA

Cold-spotting identifies populations lacking access to healthcare or community support (B), enabling targeted interventions. High-risk behaviors (A), funded programs (C), and frequent utilizers (D) are not cold-spot focus. NAHQ emphasizes cold-spotting for access disparities.

NAHQ CPHQ Study Guide, Population Health and Care Transitions Section, “Cold-Spotting and Population Health”; NAHQ CPHQ Practice Exam, Health Equity Strategies.

To increase profitability of services covered under bundled payments, the healthcare quality professional should recommend starting with an analysis of efficiency. Bundled payments provide a single payment for all services related to a treatment or condition, incentivizing providers to deliver care more efficiently. Analyzing efficiency can help identify areas where resources can be used more effectively, reducing costs while maintaining or improving quality, which is critical for profitability under bundled payment models.

Safety (B): While crucial, safety alone may not directly impact profitability under bundled payments.

Access (C): Improving access is important but may not directly influence profitability in the context of bundled payments.

Equity (D): Equity is essential for quality care but is not the primary focus when aiming to increase profitability under bundled payments.

References

NAHQ Body ofKnowledge: Efficiency and Cost Management in Healthcare

NAHQ CPHQ Exam Preparation Materials: Analyzing Quality in Bundled Payment Models

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