This work is funded by the National Science Foundation
Advanced Technological Education Grant 1003223
The CAHIMS Exam Preparation Course
and the CAHIMS exam are the result of
collaboration between the Life Science
Informatics Center at Bellevue College
and the Healthcare Information and
Management Systems Society (HIMSS).
Significant content found in the CAHIMS
Exam Preparation Course stems from the
Office of the National Coordinator for
Health Information Technology. Creation
of the CAHIMS Exam Preparation Course
and the CAHIMS exam was made
possible through support from the National
Science Foundation (NSF).
Curriculum Team:
Margaret Schulte, DBA
Michèle Royer, PhD
Nathan Savage, MLIS
This work is funded by the National Science Foundation
Advanced Technological Education Grant 1003223
Section 1 - Healthcare Environment
Lesson 1.1 - Healthcare Delivery Organizations
Assessment Questions Answer Key
1. Wxyzab is a small country where the entire population has access to
healthcare facilities owned and operated by the government, and funded by a tax
on citizens. However, the current healthcare infrastructure does not have
technologically advanced radiologic imaging facilities, and a commercial
organization is allowed by the government to operate its own diagnostic imaging
facilities, where patients have to pay for services out-of-pocket. This is an
example of a transition of a healthcare system from:
a. a public to a private healthcare system model
b. a private to a mixed healthcare system model
*c. a public to a mixed healthcare system model
Answer: c. public to mixed healthcare system model
In countries with state run health care system, a private system may coexist in
parallel or offer services not available under the public system
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 1/13
2. Patient assessed value and efficiency are parameters of a framework to
assess:
a. Health
b. Healthcare
*c. Healthcare systems
d. All of the above
Answer: c. Healthcare systems
These benchmarks are most appropriate to measure healthcare systems.
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 1/16
3. Which of the statements about epidemiology is FALSE?
*a. Epidemiology is a qualitative science built around concepts of probability and
statistics
b. Epidemiology is a tool for public health action
c. Epidemiology assists in preventing morbidity and mortality
d. Epidemiology, at times, involves common sense as much as it does causal
reasoning
This work is funded by the National Science Foundation
Advanced Technological Education Grant 1003223
Page 1
Answer: a. Epidemiology is a qualitative science built around concepts of
probability and statistics.
It is a quantitative science.
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 2/9
4. Which of the following are components of the patient centered medical home?
a. Coordination of care
b. Emphasis on quality and safety
c. Enhanced access to care
*d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above.
A “patient centered medical home” is a model for providing comprehensive health
care. Hallmarks of the patient centered medical home include:
–Personal physician - each patient has an ongoing relationship with a personal
physician trained to provide first contact, continuous and comprehensive care.
–Physician directed medical practice – the personal physician leads a team of
individuals at the practice level who collectively take responsibility for the ongoing
care of patients
–Care is coordinated and/or integrated across all elements of the complex health
care system
–Emphasis on quality and safety
–Enhanced access to care is available through systems such as open
scheduling, expanded hours and new options for communication between
patients, their personal physician, and practice staff
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 3/7
5. Healthcare is the prevention and treatment of illness
*a. True
b. False
Answer: a. True. Illness is a state of poor health, and healthcare is involved in the
prevention and treatment of illness.
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 1/3, 4
This work is funded by the National Science Foundation
Advanced Technological Education Grant 1003223
Page 2
6. About 75 percent of healthcare establishments are hospitals
a. True
*b. False
Answer: b. About 76 percent of healthcare establishments are offices of
physicians, dentists, or other health practitioners.
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 1/10
7. An interdisciplinary team is a group of individuals with diverse training and
backgrounds who work independently to improve patient care.
a. True
*b. False
Answer: b. An interdisciplinary team is a “…group of individuals with diverse
training and backgrounds who work together as an identified unit or system”
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 3/6
8. Primary Care Organizations typically refer patients to what other types of
organizations.
a. Secondary Care
b. Tertiary Care
*c. Secondary and Tertiary Care
d. Neither Secondary or Tertiary Care
Answer: c. Primary Care Organizations may refer patients either to secondary
care (specialty care) or to tertiary care organizations (the only provider of certain
types of diagnostic procedures or treatment).
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 4/5
9. Secondary Care Organizations are also known as Specialty Organizations.
*a. True
b. False
Answer: a. Secondary Care Organizations provide the majority of specialty
diagnosis and treatment
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 4/7
This work is funded by the National Science Foundation
Advanced Technological Education Grant 1003223
Page 3
10. Federally Qualified Health Centers include the following:
a. County Health Clinics
*b. Migrant Health Centers
c. Look Alikes
d. Tribal Operated Health Clinics
Answer: b. The following are considered types of Federally Qualified health
centers: Community Health Centers, Migrant Health Centers Healthcare for the
Homeless Programs and Public Health Primary Care Programs.
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 4/12
11. Inpatient Care is usually defined as admission for medical care longer than:
a. 8 hours
b. 12 hours
*c. 24 hours
d. 48 hours
Answer: c. Many types of diagnostic, treatment, and surgical procedures are now
done in ambulatory centers. Inpatient Admission is defined as greater than 24
hours.
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 4/7, 11, 15
12. The type of Long Term Care organization that typically provides an apartment
or room and includes personal care, meals and housekeeping is:
a. Independent Living
*b. Assisted Living
c. Skilled Nursing Facility
d. Hospice
Answer: b. Assisted living is an intermediate step between independent living
and skilled nursing. The resident still has their own living space but receives help
in activities of daily living
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 4/17, 18, 19
13. The type of Long Term Call organization that provides services to people
living with and dying from an eventually fatal condition is:
a. Independent Living
b. Assisted Living
c. Skilled Nursing Facility
This work is funded by the National Science Foundation
Advanced Technological Education Grant 1003223
Page 4
*d. Hospice
Answer: d. Hospices support patients with eventually fatal diseases and their
families.
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 4/19
14. The largest Integrated Healthcare System in the US is:
a. Kaiser Permanente
*b. Veterans Health Administration
c. TRICARE
d. Indian Health Services
Answer: b. Kaiser Permanente is a large not-for-profit health plan but is largely
regional and is not as large as the Veterans Health Administration. Neither is the
Indian Health Service as described in the slides. TRICARE is a health plan, not
an Integrated Healthcare System.
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 4/20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25
15. Which of the following department would usually be a part of the Information
division?
a. Nursing Education
b. Social Services
*c. Medical Records
d. Security
Answer: c. Nursing Education and Professional Development is usually a part of
nursing, Social Services is a part of Clinical Support Services, and Security is
usually a part of facilities management.
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 5/5-12
16. Observational data like the history, results of the physical exam and a
summary of a surgery or procedure is recording using what type of data.
*a. Narrative
b. Recorded Signals
c. Numerical Measurements
d. Images
Answer: a. The best answer is Narrative, which is data written or entered by the
person making the observation.
This work is funded by the National Science Foundation
Advanced Technological Education Grant 1003223
Page 5
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 5/14
17. What two divisions may be combined to form a single Diagnostic and
Therapeutic division?
a. Nursing and Clinical Support
b. Nursing and Ancillary Services
c. Clinical Support and Medical Staff
*d. Clinical Support and Ancillary Services
Answer: d. Clinical Support and Ancillary Services are both involved in
supporting diagnostic and therapeutic services. A good example is the
laboratory, which would require ancillary personnel to collect, submit and track
specimens and clinical support personnel typically perform the tests.
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 5/5-12
18. What type of communication can allow data to easily be viewed throughout
the institution?
*a. Digital
b. Film
c. Verbal
d. Paper
Answer: a. Digital communication has the potential to allow anyone with access
to view a patient’s data. Verbal communication can be recorded but still has
problems with limited access. Images or documents on film and paper records
must be acquired before they can be viewed.
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 5/15
19. The major difference between an academic and community hospital is the
type of care they provide.
a. True
*b. False
Answer: b. The two types of institutions may both deliver primary, secondary and
tertiary care. The major difference is an affiliation with a university or medical
school and a major commitment to clinical training.
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): 5/7-19, 16
This work is funded by the National Science Foundation
Advanced Technological Education Grant 1003223
Page 6