CPHQ® Cafe

 

CPHQ Café

Are you wondering what is CPHQ? Curious if you're ready to sit for the exam? Stumped about a specific quality or process improvement question?

The CPHQ Cafe is the place for you!

The Cafe has information about the CPHQ credential,  study resources and how to register to sit for the exam. If you are stuck on a specific topic,  email your question to Linda Weirauch, who is a national instructor.

 

Coffee and CPHQ® Conversation with Linda Weirauch, National CPHQ® Course Instructor

Are you curious about the CPHQ® exam? How do you prepare for taking the exam?

ASK LINDA!

 

Examples questions you may find on the CPHQ® exam:

Q: The CEO asked the Quality Improvement Manager to assess and identify the causes for increase in CAUTIs in both the med-surg units and ICUs. When you meet with the clinical team, what tool would you use to identify the reasons for the rise?

A: The fishbone or Ishikawa diagram is the tool to use for this issue. It is a cause and effect method that assists in identifying reasons for variations, failures or defects in a process. Usually the groups method, material, measurement, machine, environment and people make up the spines or ‘ribs’ of the fish’s skeleton, with the problem at the head and the causes for the problem feed into the spine.

 

Q: A multi-physician ambulatory practice group reported that several patients voiced delays in receiving orthopedic appointments. They reported a wait time of nearly 3 months, worsening over the past year. This posed delays in treatment, increased discomfort, referrals to specialists outside of their network, and an escalation in treatment. The practice group staff were frustrated with juggling appointments, creating reminders for future appointments post consult and patient pleas for earlier appointments. Regional leadership arranged for a group meeting of members from both the physician practice group and the orthopedic practice, including a physician champion from primary care and orthopedics. The Regional Director requested that Quality provide data for the meeting. What measures would be important for this team to review? What tool would best to use to display the data and why?

A: In order to look at this issue, important measures include average days to first available appointment, percent of referrals sent to other specialists, and patient satisfaction with access. The best tool to display this data would be a run chart. Given the mix of staff involved in the project, the run charts are less complex, will identify a baseline and can identify signals for improvement when the run rules are applied.

 

Have a question for Linda about the CPHQ® exam process, the review course, study resources or career advancement with the CPHQ® credential? Send your questions to: CPHQ.Cafe@MIMAHQ.com, and put “CPHQ Cafe” in the subject line of your email.