Quality Control & Process Improvement Flashcards
7 cards from real CET practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Quality Control & Process Improvement flashcards as text
A fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram is used in echocardiography QI to:
Answer: Identify and categorize potential root causes of a quality problem
An Ishikawa diagram organizes brainstormed causes of a problem into categories (e.g., people, process, equipment, environment) to facilitate root cause analysis.
Which action best demonstrates adherence to ASE guidelines for image documentation in a standard transthoracic echocardiogram?
Answer: Obtaining a complete set of standardized views including all required measurements
ASE guidelines specify a minimum set of required views and measurements to ensure comprehensive, reproducible transthoracic echocardiographic examinations.
Inter-observer variability in echocardiographic measurements is BEST reduced by:
Answer: Standardizing measurement protocols and providing regular training
Standardized protocols with defined measurement techniques and regular training are the most sustainable and scalable approaches to reducing variability across multiple readers.
In the context of echocardiography QC, 'accuracy' refers to:
Answer: How closely a measurement reflects the true value
Accuracy describes the degree to which a measured value agrees with the accepted true or reference value, distinct from precision which reflects reproducibility.
A lab's QI team identifies that 80% of incomplete studies result from just 3 of 15 identified causes. Which tool most directly supports this finding?
Answer: Pareto chart
A Pareto chart displays causes ranked by frequency, visually demonstrating the 80/20 principle that a few causes account for the majority of problems.
When reviewing a peer-reviewed study for potential inclusion in an updated echo lab protocol, which study design provides the highest level of evidence?
Answer: Randomized controlled trial or systematic review of RCTs
Randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews of RCTs sit at the top of the evidence hierarchy because they minimize bias through randomization and aggregation.
Which element is MOST critical when writing a corrected echocardiography report after discovering a measurement error?
Answer: Clearly labeling the new report as an amendment and documenting the reason for correction
An amended report must be clearly identified as a correction with documentation of what changed and why, maintaining a complete, transparent medical record.