Mixed Deck — All CMA Topics Flashcards
100 cards from real CMA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 20 Mixed Deck — All CMA Topics flashcards as text
Which of the following indicates correct technique when performing spirometry?
Answer: Patient exhales forcefully for at least 6 seconds
For an accurate FVC maneuver, the patient must exhale as forcefully and completely as possible for at least 6 seconds.
The right ventricle of the heart pumps blood into the:
Answer: Pulmonary artery
The right ventricle of the heart is responsible for pumping deoxygenated blood into the pulmonary artery. This artery then carries the blood to the lungs, where it picks up oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. This is a crucial step in the pulmonary circulation, preparing the blood to return to the left side of the heart for systemic circulation.
A patient is seen for a sprained ankle and a follow-up on hypertension in the same visit. How should the diagnoses be sequenced?
Answer: The condition chiefly responsible for the visit listed first
The principal diagnosis or the condition chiefly responsible for the visit should be listed first according to ICD-10-CM guidelines.
The normal adult respiratory rate range is:
Answer: 12–20 breaths/min
Normal adult respiratory rate (eupnea) is 12–20 breaths per minute.
What is the purpose of active listening in patient communication?
Answer: To show the patient they have been heard and understood
Active listening demonstrates empathy, builds rapport, and ensures the patient feels heard, which improves therapeutic outcomes.
When a patient's insurance claim is denied with a code indicating 'not medically necessary,' the FIRST step the medical assistant should take is to:
Answer: Review the claim and physician documentation to determine if an appeal is warranted
Reviewing documentation allows the office to determine whether additional clinical information or a corrected claim can support a successful appeal.
Under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, what does the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS) measure?
Answer: The relative work, practice expense, and malpractice expense for each CPT code
RBRVS assigns relative value units (RVUs) based on physician work, practice expenses, and malpractice costs to calculate Medicare payment for each procedure.
A patient shares information about a plan to harm a specific third party. The Tarasoff duty requires the provider to:
Answer: Warn the identifiable potential victim and notify appropriate authorities
The Tarasoff duty (duty to warn/protect) requires providers to take reasonable steps to protect identifiable third parties when a patient makes credible threats of harm.
When applying a triangular bandage as a sling, the apex of the triangle should be positioned at:
Answer: The elbow
The apex of the triangular bandage is placed at the elbow to support and cradle the arm properly in a sling.
The term 'superbill' in a medical office refers to:
Answer: A combined encounter form listing diagnosis and procedure codes for billing
A superbill (encounter form) lists ICD and CPT codes used to generate insurance claims after each patient visit.
A specimen collected for sputum culture should ideally be obtained:
Answer: From the first deep cough in the morning before eating or drinking
Early morning specimens contain the highest concentration of organisms before oral flora is diluted by food or fluids.
Orthostatic hypotension is defined as a drop in systolic BP of at least how many mmHg upon standing?
Answer: 20 mmHg
Orthostatic hypotension is defined as a systolic BP decrease of ≥20 mmHg (or diastolic ≥10 mmHg) within 3 minutes of standing.
Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the 'minimum necessary' standard means:
Answer: Only the minimum amount of PHI needed for a task should be used or disclosed
The minimum necessary standard requires that access to and disclosure of PHI be limited to only what is needed to accomplish the intended purpose.
A petty cash fund is used in a medical office to:
Answer: Cover small, incidental office expenses without writing a check
Petty cash provides ready cash for minor expenses like postage or office supplies that are impractical to pay by check.
Which term describes the surgical removal of the uterus?
Answer: Hysterectomy
Hysterectomy is the correct term because the prefix "hyster-" refers to the uterus, and the suffix "-ectomy" means surgical removal. Therefore, a hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus. The other options refer to removal of fibroids (myomectomy), ovaries (oophorectomy), or fallopian tubes (salpingectomy).
When performing a 12-lead ECG, the precordial lead V1 is placed at which anatomical location?
Answer: Fourth intercostal space, right sternal border
V1 is placed at the fourth intercostal space on the right side of the sternum.
Which of the following laboratory values would be most concerning in a patient taking warfarin (Coumadin)?
Answer: INR of 4.8
An INR above 4.0 significantly increases bleeding risk and is outside therapeutic range for most indications.
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving anything of value to induce referrals of services covered by:
Answer: Federal healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid
The Anti-Kickback Statute applies specifically to federal healthcare programs (Medicare, Medicaid) and prohibits financial incentives that could improperly influence referrals.
The purpose of using a numeric filing system in a medical office is PRIMARILY to:
Answer: Provide greater confidentiality because names are not visible on file folders
Numeric filing protects patient confidentiality by displaying only a number on folders, making names invisible to casual observers.
A patient taking lithium for bipolar disorder reports nausea, tremors, and confusion. What should the medical assistant suspect?
Answer: Signs of lithium toxicity
Nausea, tremors, and confusion are classic early signs of lithium toxicity, which can progress to seizures and cardiac arrhythmias if untreated.