Patient History and Assessment Flashcards
6 cards from real RMA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Patient History and Assessment flashcards as text
Which of the following correctly describes the 'review of systems' (ROS) component of a patient history?
Answer: A systematic, symptom-based inquiry covering body systems to identify unreported problems
The review of systems is an inventory of symptoms organized by body system, asked verbally by the provider or intake staff, to uncover symptoms the patient may not have mentioned as part of the chief complaint.
When calculating a patient's BMI (Body Mass Index) and the result is 29.5, how is this classified according to standard BMI categories?
Answer: Overweight (25.0–29.9)
A BMI of 29.5 falls in the overweight category (25.0–29.9), just below the obesity threshold of 30.0 — still a clinically significant finding associated with increased cardiovascular and metabolic risk.
When documenting patient history, which information requires EXTRA precaution in terms of privacy and a separate consent for release in most states?
Answer: Psychiatric/mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, and HIV status
Most states provide enhanced confidentiality protections for mental health records, substance abuse treatment records (42 CFR Part 2), and HIV/AIDS information, requiring specific patient authorization separate from a standard HIPAA release.
Which of the following best defines 'primary' versus 'secondary' prevention in patient health assessment?
Answer: Primary prevention prevents disease before it occurs; secondary prevention detects disease in early stages through screening
Primary prevention includes interventions to prevent disease occurrence (vaccines, healthy lifestyle counseling); secondary prevention involves early detection of asymptomatic disease through screening (mammograms, colonoscopies, blood pressure checks).
Which question is the BEST example of an open-ended question during patient history taking?
Answer: Tell me about what has been bothering you today.
Open-ended questions invite the patient to respond in their own words without guiding or limiting the answer — 'Tell me about...' gives patients the opportunity to describe their experience freely and often reveals information the provider might not have thought to ask about.
When reviewing a patient's medication list, the medical assistant notices the patient is taking both warfarin and ibuprofen regularly. What should the medical assistant do?
Answer: Bring this to the physician's attention before the patient is seen, as this combination poses a serious risk
Warfarin and NSAIDs (like ibuprofen) together significantly increase the risk of bleeding — the NSAID inhibits platelet function and can also displace warfarin from protein binding sites; this interaction requires immediate physician notification.