RHIT MCQ 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of the Master Patient Index (MPI) in a healthcare facility?
- To track employee schedules
- To uniquely identify each patient across all encounters (Correct answer)
- To manage financial transactions
- To store physician credentials
Correct answer: To uniquely identify each patient across all encounters
The MPI serves as the central database that uniquely identifies each patient and links all their records across the healthcare system.
The Master Patient Index (MPI) is a critical component of health information management. It assigns a unique identifier to each patient and serves as the key linkage between all encounters, departments, and facilities within a healthcare system.
Question 2: Which classification system is used to code diagnoses for inpatient hospital claims in the United States?
- CPT
- ICD-10-CM (Correct answer)
- HCPCS Level II
- DSM-5
Correct answer: ICD-10-CM
ICD-10-CM (Clinical Modification) is the official system for coding diagnoses on all healthcare claims in the U.S.
ICD-10-CM is maintained by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and is used to report diagnoses in all healthcare settings. For inpatient procedures, ICD-10-PCS is used alongside ICD-10-CM.
Question 3: What does the abbreviation PHI stand for in the context of HIPAA regulations?
- Patient Health Insurance
- Protected Health Information (Correct answer)
- Private Hospital Index
- Personal Health Identification
Correct answer: Protected Health Information
PHI stands for Protected Health Information, which includes any individually identifiable health information transmitted or maintained in any form.
Protected Health Information (PHI) under HIPAA includes any information about health status, provision of healthcare, or payment for healthcare that can be linked to a specific individual. This encompasses 18 identifiers including names, dates, Social Security numbers, and medical record numbers.
Question 4: What is the standard length of time an adult acute care hospital must retain medical records according to most state regulations?
- 5 years
- 10 years
- Varies by state but commonly 10 years after last encounter (Correct answer)
- Indefinitely
Correct answer: Varies by state but commonly 10 years after last encounter
Medical record retention requirements vary by state, but most states require adult acute care records to be retained for approximately 10 years after the last encounter.
Record retention periods are governed by state law, not a single federal mandate. While HIPAA requires covered entities to retain HIPAA-related documentation for 6 years, actual medical record retention varies by state.
Question 5: In healthcare quality improvement, what does the acronym PDCA stand for?
- Patient Data Collection and Analysis
- Plan-Do-Check-Act (Correct answer)
- Performance Data Compliance Assessment
- Physician Documentation Coding Audit
Correct answer: Plan-Do-Check-Act
PDCA stands for Plan-Do-Check-Act, a continuous quality improvement cycle developed by W. Edwards Deming.
The PDCA cycle (also called the Deming cycle) is a systematic framework for continuous improvement. Plan identifies the problem; Do implements the plan; Check evaluates results; Act standardizes successful changes.
Question 6: Which federal law requires healthcare providers to obtain patient consent before sharing medical records with another provider for treatment purposes?
- HITECH Act
- HIPAA permits sharing for treatment without specific patient consent (Correct answer)
- Affordable Care Act
- EMTALA
Correct answer: HIPAA permits sharing for treatment without specific patient consent
Under HIPAA's Privacy Rule, covered entities may use and disclose PHI for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations (TPO) without obtaining specific written patient authorization.
HIPAA's Privacy Rule establishes the TPO exception, which allows covered entities to share PHI for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations without a specific patient authorization.
RHIT MCQ 2
What is the primary purpose of the Master Patient Index (MPI) in a healthcare facility?