Introduction to Healthcare and Public Health in the US: Introduction and History
of Modern Healthcare in the US
Self-assessment 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
Objective(s): 1, 2, 4
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): a13
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.
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
Version 3.0 / Spring 2012
Introduction to Healthcare and Public Health in the US
Introduction and History of Modern Healthcare in the US
This material (Comp1_Unit1) was developed by Oregon Health and Science University, funded by the Department of Health and
Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology under Award Number IU24OC000015.
1
Objective(s): 1, 2
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): a16
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
Answer: a. Epidemiology is a qualitative science built around concepts of probability
and statistics. It is a quantitative science.
Objective(s): 1, 5
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): b 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.
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
Version 3.0 / Spring 2012
Introduction to Healthcare and Public Health in the US
Introduction and History of Modern Healthcare in the US
This material (Comp1_Unit1) was developed by Oregon Health and Science University, funded by the Department of Health and
Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology under Award Number IU24OC000015.
2
–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
Objective(s): 1, 4, 5
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): c7
5. Which of the statements about clinical decision support are true?
a. Clinical decision support provides reminders and alerts
b. Clinical decision support can check for interactions between drugs
c. Clinical decision support can be used to check for inconsistencies between orders
entered by different providers
*d. All the statements are true
Answer: d. All the statements are true
Objective(s): 1, 4
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): d9
6. Healthcare is the prevention and treatment of illness
*a. True
b. False
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
Version 3.0 / Spring 2012
Introduction to Healthcare and Public Health in the US
Introduction and History of Modern Healthcare in the US
This material (Comp1_Unit1) was developed by Oregon Health and Science University, funded by the Department of Health and
Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology under Award Number IU24OC000015.
3
Answer: a. True. Illness is a state of poor health, and healthcare is involved in the
prevention and treatment of illness.
Objective(s): 1
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): a 3, 4
7. 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
Objective(s): 2, 3
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): a10
8. 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”
Objective(s): 1, 3, 5
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): c6
9. Health information technology allows a secure exchange of information between
health care consumers and providers.
*a. True
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
Version 3.0 / Spring 2012
Introduction to Healthcare and Public Health in the US
Introduction and History of Modern Healthcare in the US
This material (Comp1_Unit1) was developed by Oregon Health and Science University, funded by the Department of Health and
Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology under Award Number IU24OC000015.
4
b. False
Answer: a. Health information technology allows comprehensive management of
medical information including a secure exchange of information.
Objective(s): 4
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): d3
10. Personal health records reduce the cost for healthcare organizations and providers.
*a. True
b. False
Answer: a. EHRs are expensive to install, maintain, and upgrade. Relying on personal
health records reduces the cost for healthcare organizations and providers
Objective(s):
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): d5
Type: E
11. After 1970, new levels of residential care were defined, beyond the traditional
chronic care residential facilities such as nursing homes. In your opinion, what is the
primary reasoning for the delineation of new levels of residential care facilities such as
intermediate-care facilities and sub-acute care facilities?
Answer focus: Distinct levels of care have been delineated to improve cost
effectiveness
Objective(s): 1, 2
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): a8
12. In your opinion, do the advantages of an electronic health record (EHR) outweigh
the disadvantages? Defend your position.
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
Version 3.0 / Spring 2012
Introduction to Healthcare and Public Health in the US
Introduction and History of Modern Healthcare in the US
This material (Comp1_Unit1) was developed by Oregon Health and Science University, funded by the Department of Health and
Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology under Award Number IU24OC000015.
5
Suggested answer guide:
Advantages:
Remote access to patient data
Record is legible
Confidentiality can be protected in a more sophisticated fashion than with paper records
Improves patient safety, for example computerized physician order entry reduces
transcription errors
Integration with other resources and data
Integration with decision support and knowledge-base resources
Disadvantages:
Cost of installation, maintenance and upgrading
Requires training and changes in clinical workflows
Lack of interoperability
Depersonalizes the doctor-patient relationship
Objective(s): 4
Lecture(s)/Slide(s): d3, 4
Health IT Workforce Curriculum
Version 3.0 / Spring 2012
Introduction to Healthcare and Public Health in the US
Introduction and History of Modern Healthcare in the US
This material (Comp1_Unit1) was developed by Oregon Health and Science University, funded by the Department of Health and
Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology under Award Number IU24OC000015.
6