Question 1

Which one of the following groups is an example of an internal customer?

Accepted Answer

Internal customers are individuals or departments within an organization that rely on the services or products of another department within the same organization. Nurses are an example of an internal customer because they work within a healthcare organization and rely on other departments such as pharmacy, laboratory, and food service to provide services to support their work. Clients, private physicians, and insurance payers are external customers because they are outside the organization and receive services from the healthcare organization.

Question 2

If you were a manager planning to use the FOCUS method to examine a process in your agency, in which step would you find a flowchart most useful?

Accepted Answer

The flowchart would be most useful in step C, which stands for Clarify the Process. This is where the manager would gather information about the process and create a visual representation of the steps involved, which is where a flowchart comes in handy. The other steps (O for Organize the Team, U for Understand the Process, and S for Select the Process Improvement) may also benefit from a flowchart, but it is not as essential as in step C.

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of a direct cost?

Accepted Answer

Medications are a direct cost because they are a specific expense related to the production or provision of a product or service.

Question 4

Which one of the following statements best describes the concept of quality?

Accepted Answer

Quality is about meeting or exceeding customer expectations by providing products or services that are consistent, reliable, and of high value. This in turn leads to customer satisfaction and loyalty, which is the ultimate goal of any business. Option D best describes this concept. Options A, B, and C touch upon certain aspects of quality, but do not fully encapsulate the idea.

Question 5

Which of the following is an important feature of quality improvement (QI) efforts in today's highly complex and changeable health care organizations?

Accepted Answer

Flexibility is important in QI efforts in health care organizations because change is constant in the industry. As new technologies, regulations, and patient needs emerge, QI efforts must be adaptable to address these changes. Mission and vision statements are important for setting direction, but they are not specific features of QI efforts. Cost-effectiveness is important, but it is not a unique feature of QI efforts in health care organizations.

Question 6

Which of the following is one of the primary benefits of adopting quality concepts and principles?

Accepted Answer

One of the primary benefits of adopting quality concepts and principles is that performance issues are discovered more quickly and efficiently, allowing for timely corrective action and ultimately better outcomes. Health care processes focused on meeting the needs of patients and costs can be maintained at budgeted levels, but these are not the primary benefits of adopting quality concepts and principles. Management contributing to better work as designed is a desirable outcome, but not the primary benefit.

Question 7

Which one of the following statements is a general principle of performance improvement?

Accepted Answer

Quality improvement involves the participation of everyone in the organization, not just those directly involved in a particular process. This principle is also known as total quality management (TQM). A is partially correct but not a general principle, as it only applies to customer service industries. C is incorrect as improvement opportunities should be focused on the entire system, not just individual work. D is incorrect as decisions should be based on data and analysis, not intuition.

Question 8

Which one of these acronyms stands for a model that outlines a methodology for improvement?

Accepted Answer

PDSA stands for Plan-Do-Study-Act, which is a widely used model for continuous quality improvement. ACDP, CDPA, and DPAC are not commonly recognized acronyms in the field of quality improvement.

Question 9

Which of the following acronyms represents another term for total quality management?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following acronyms represents another...

Question 10

Which of the following may result from inspection systems that reward or punish random variation?

Accepted Answer

Inspection systems that reward or punish random variation may lead to tampering with the process. This means that workers may be inclined to manipulate the system to achieve the desired outcomes, even if it means deviating from the established processes. This can actually be detrimental to the quality of the outcomes in the long run. The other options (change, improvement in processes, improvement in outcomes) may result from effective inspection systems, but are not necessarily tied to the specific issue of random variation.

Question 11

Which one of the following statements applies to employees who work in an organization that encourages empowerment and promotes a culture of employee ownership?

Accepted Answer

In organizations that encourage empowerment and promote a culture of employee ownership, staff are more likely to feel valued for their efforts. This is because such organizations typically recognize and reward initiative, innovation, and the contribution of each employee towards achieving the company's goals.

Question 12

According to the text, what is the focus of quality assurance?

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the text, what is the...

Question 13

Which of the following is the term for a visual display that outlines the major steps in an improvement process?

Accepted Answer

A storyboard is a visual display used to outline the major steps in an improvement process, often used in project management and process improvement methodologies to communicate the steps, stages, or elements of a project or process clearly and effectively.

Question 14

What is the term for an unexpected occurrence involving death or serious physical or psychological injury to a client?

Accepted Answer

A sentinel event is defined as an unexpected occurrence involving death or serious physical or psychological injury to a client, and is used as an indicator of the quality and safety of healthcare. Choices A and B do not specifically refer to this type of occurrence, and choice C refers to a process of measuring and comparing performance against established standards, but does not address unexpected events involving harm to clients.

Question 15

Which of these acronyms stands for a model that describes a stepwise process of how to move through the improvement process?

Accepted Answer

FOCUS stands for Find, Organize, Clarify, Understand, and Select. It is a model that outlines the steps to take when trying to improve a process or solve a problem.

Question 16

Which step in the FOCUS process asks the question, "What is the problem?"

Accepted Answer

The FOCUS process is a quality improvement approach where each letter stands for a step in the process: Find a process to improve, Organize a team that knows the process, Clarify current knowledge of the process, Understand causes of process variation, and Select the process improvement. The first step, "Find a process to improve," is where the question, "What is the problem?" is asked, to identify the specific issue or process that needs improvement.

Question 17

Which one of the following people has made an important contribution to the science of improvement?

Accepted Answer

Dr. W. Edwards Deming is widely considered the father of the modern quality improvement movement. He developed the concept of Total Quality Management (TQM) and the Deming Cycle (Plan-Do-Study-Act) which are still widely used today in various industries.

Question 18

What is the term for a set of actions, changes, or functions that bring about a result?

Accepted Answer

A process is a series of actions, changes, or functions that are carried out in order to achieve a particular result or set of results. It is a systematic approach to achieving a desired outcome. The other options are not specific to this context - a system refers to a set of interconnected components or parts, a sentinel event is an unexpected occurrence in a healthcare setting, and benchmarking is a process of comparing performance against established standards or other organizations.

Question 19

As a program manager, which of the following visual aids might you choose to use to identify reasons for delays or problems in a process?

Accepted Answer

A fishbone diagram, also known as an Ishikawa diagram or cause-and-effect diagram, is a visual tool designed to identify the possible causes of a problem or delay. It is particularly useful for identifying root causes, rather than just symptoms, and can help a program manager identify areas for improvement. Time series charts show changes over time but do not necessarily identify the root causes of delays or problems. Balanced scorecards are used to track strategic initiatives and align business activities, but they do not focus specifically on identifying reasons for process delays or problems. Flowcharts are also helpful in visualizing a process, but they do not necessarily help identify the reasons for delays or problems within that process.

Question 20

Which of these terms could include the example of a client who is having a chest X-ray done?

Accepted Answer

A chest X-ray falls under the category of a process because it is a step or action taken as part of a larger set of actions in healthcare to diagnose or check the health status of a client. Processes involve the methods or procedures followed to deliver healthcare services.

Quiz 17: Managing Performance and Outcomes Using an Organizational Quality Improvement Model