CCMA EHR and health IT practice questions, with every answer explained

1. A system for ordering office supplies
2. Patients entering their own diagnoses online
3. Providers entering orders electronically in the EHR
4. Scanning paper orders into a folder

Answer: C. CPOE lets providers enter medication, lab, and imaging orders directly into the EHR, reducing transcription errors and enabling safety checks such as allergy alerts.

Why not A: Supply ordering is not CPOE.

Why not B: Patients do not enter diagnoses.

Why not D: Scanning paper is not order entry.

Exam tactic: CPOE = provider orders, typed in, checked by the system.

1. All practices must use the same EHR brand
2. Patients cannot access their records electronically
3. Different systems can exchange and use health information
4. Records can only be printed, not shared

Answer: C. Interoperability allows different EHRs and health information exchanges to share data securely, supporting continuity of care. It does not require identical software.

Why not A: Interoperability works across different systems.

Why not B: Patient electronic access is encouraged.

Why not D: Electronic exchange is the goal, not printing.

Exam tactic: Interoperability = systems that talk to each other.

1. Taking and recording vital signs
2. Scheduling, registration, and billing
3. Sterilizing surgical instruments
4. Running laboratory tests on specimens

Answer: B. A PMS handles administrative and financial functions such as scheduling, demographics, insurance, charges, claims, and reports. It is often integrated with the EHR.

Why not A: Vital signs are clinical measurements.

Why not C: Sterilization uses an autoclave.

Why not D: Lab testing uses analyzers and lab systems.

Exam tactic: PMS = front office and money side.

1. Shred the original before checking the scan
2. Scan it into a general folder to sort out later
3. Scan only the first page to save storage space
4. Index it to the right patient, type, and date

Answer: D. Scanned documents are indexed to the correct patient with the right document type and date so they can be found and are legally part of the record. Scan quality is verified before any original is destroyed per policy.

Why not A: Originals are kept until the scan is verified, then handled per policy.

Why not B: Unindexed documents get lost or misfiled.

Why not C: All pages must be captured.

Exam tactic: Right patient, right type, right date, verified.

1. Request visits and refills, and message the office
2. Change the diagnosis codes on their account
3. Access other patients' medical records
4. Edit the provider's clinical visit notes

Answer: A. Portals let patients view released information, request appointments and refills, pay bills, update demographics, and message the office securely. Clinical documentation cannot be edited by patients.

Why not B: Diagnosis codes are assigned by the practice.

Why not C: Patients can only access their own records.

Why not D: Clinical notes cannot be edited by patients.

Exam tactic: Portal = requests and messages, not edits.

1. Because EHR systems are designed so they never fail
2. So care and charting can continue safely if the system fails
3. To make sure paper forms are never used at all
4. To let staff go home early whenever there is an outage

Answer: B. Downtime procedures specify paper forms, access to critical information (such as schedules and medication lists), and how to enter information into the EHR once it is restored. Data backups support recovery.

Why not A: All systems can fail.

Why not C: Downtime procedures often rely on paper temporarily.

Why not D: Care continues during outages.

Exam tactic: System down? Follow the downtime plan, back-enter later.

1. A password written on a note under the keyboard
2. The same simple password for every system
3. Sharing passwords with trusted coworkers
4. A long, unique password that is not shared

Answer: D. Strong, unique passwords (or passphrases) that are not written down or shared, combined with multifactor authentication where available, protect systems and ensure actions are traceable to the right user.

Why not A: Written passwords can be found by others.

Why not B: Reusing simple passwords increases breach risk.

Why not C: Sharing passwords breaks accountability.

Exam tactic: Long, unique, secret.

1. Charge whatever fee the practice chooses for it
2. Refuse and require the patient to accept paper
3. Send the records of the patient's whole family
4. Provide the electronic copy if readily producible

Answer: D. Under HIPAA, patients have the right to copies in the form and format requested if readily producible, within the required timeframe, and practices may charge only a reasonable, cost-based fee.

Why not A: Fees must be reasonable and cost-based.

Why not B: If the format is readily producible, refusing is not appropriate.

Why not C: Only the patient's own records are released.

Exam tactic: Patient asks for electronic? Provide it if you can.

1. A marketplace where people buy health insurance plans
2. A network for providers to share patient data securely
3. A pharmacy chain that fills and delivers prescriptions
4. A billing company that collects overdue patient debts

Answer: B. An HIE lets authorized providers, hospitals, and labs securely access and share patient information across organizations, improving coordination and reducing duplicate testing.

Why not A: Insurance marketplaces sell plans.

Why not C: Pharmacies dispense medications.

Why not D: Debt collection is a separate business.

Exam tactic: HIE = secure data sharing between providers.

1. They allow any diagnosis to be selected automatically
2. They prevent patients from seeing their records
3. Consistent, complete documentation of common visit types
4. They eliminate the need for provider review

Answer: C. Templates prompt for key elements, supporting complete and consistent documentation. They must be individualized to each patient and reviewed by the provider.

Why not A: Diagnoses must be based on the encounter, not automatic.

Why not B: Templates do not affect patient access.

Why not D: Provider review is still required.

Exam tactic: Templates help, but every note is still individual.