1.

Which of the following is an accurate statement about a value-based

reimbursement model? 

Select one:

a.
Health care organizations are incentivized to focus on health care quality and
outcomes
Correct. That's the whole idea of value-based reimbursement.

b.
The more services provided the higher the revenue to the organization. 

c.
Payers reimburse providers based on a fee for service model

d.
All of the above
Feedback
Your answer is correct.
Feedback: Traditionally, medical services in the U.S. have been reimbursed by
payers based on a fee for each service provided; the more services provided the
more money received. However, a major shift is underway whereby
reimbursements by payers such as Medicaid and Medicare are being linked to
positive health outcomes for patients.
For further information, see Lecture a, slides 10-11.

2. Which of the following are key drivers for health care transformation? [Select all
that apply.]

Select one or more:

a.
Increased awareness of patient safety and quality of care issues
Patient safety concerns are a significant impetus for transformation.
b.
Rising costs and national expenditures for health care
The rising cost of health care is one of the drivers.

c.
Concerns about the impact of value-based reimbursement on provider salaries

d.
Federal government incentives for implementation and “meaningful use” of health
information technology  
Monetary incentives established by the government are driving transformation
through expanded use of health information technology.

e.
Changing expectations of a more “connected” and engaged patient population – not
this one
Feedback
Your answer is partially correct.
You have correctly selected 3.
Key drivers of health care transformation include: the spiraling costs of healthcare;
increased use of health information technology; the transition to a value-based
reimbursement model in keeping with federal legislation; concerns about medical
errors based on reports like “To Err is Human”; and a cultural shift to a more
engaged patient. While the transition from volume-based to value-based may
impact provider reimbursement, it is a potential outcome and not a driver for
health care transformation.
For more information see Lecture a, slides 4-12.

3. What are the characteristics of “Big Data”? [Select all that apply.]

Select one or more:

a.
Granularity of data is consistent
b.
The required speed of data processing is increasing
Correct. Big data is characterized by greater speed or velocity

c.
Data is generated from a variety of sources in a variety of formats
Right. Big data comes in a variety of formats.

d.
Data has to be valid to be useful
Right. Data validity is important.

e.
The amount of data is growing exponentially
Yes. The amount or volume of data helps define it as "big" data.
Feedback
Your answer is correct.
The proliferation of data from electronic health records, mobile aps, wearables and
medical devices presents both opportunities and challenges in health care. Big Data
has been described as coming from a variety of sources, in large volumes, that
require increased speed of processing (velocity) and having to be trusted (veracity)
to be useful. Consistent granularity is not a feature in Big Data.
See Lecture b, slides 6-7 for more information.

4. Match each of the six Institute of Medicine (IOM) Aims to the appropriate
description.
Answer 1
Care does not cause harm to patients  Safe
 
Care is cost effective and waste of resources and supplies is Answer 2
minimized Efficient
 
Answer 3
Waits and delays for care or service are minimal Timely
 
Care revolves around the patient’s individual preferences, needs, Answer 4
and values Patient-centered
 
Quality of care doesn’t vary because of patient’s personal Answer 5
characteristics Equitable
 
Answer 6
Care relies on best practices as indicated by scientific evidence Effective
 
Feedback
Your answer is correct.
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) Six Aims include:  
1. Safe: avoiding injuries to patients from the care that is intended to help them
2. Effective: providing services based on scientific knowledge to all who could
benefit, and refraining from providing services to those not likely to benefit.
3. Patient-centered: providing care that is respectful of and responsive to
individual patient preferences, needs, and values, and ensuring that patient
values guide all clinical decisions.
4. Timely: reducing waits and sometimes harmful delays for both those who
receive and those who give care.
5. Efficient: avoiding waste, including waste of equipment, supplies, ideas, and
energy.
6. Equitable: providing care that does not vary in quality because of personal
characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, geographic location, and
socioeconomic status. 
For additional information, see Lecture a, slide 14.

5. Value in health care is defined in the lectures in relation to the customer’s or

patient’s needs and expectations.
Select one:
True 

False
Feedback
Correct. 
Feedback. The key indicators of the value of health care delivered are improved
health, positive patient experience and positive outcome, as well as the ratio of
desired outcomes to cost.
For more information, review Lecture a, slide 12.
6. Which of the following is an accurate statement about the major quality
improvement frameworks that have been developed over the past five
decades? [Select all that apply.]
Select one or more:

a.
Though useful in manufacturing, Six Sigma is not relevant to health care
environments.

b.
Six Sigma, a data-driven approach to reducing variation and improving consistency,
can be applied in a health care organization to reduce medical errors.
Right. Data-driven models are very appropriate for health care.

c.
The steps in the DMAIC approach are: Develop a plan, Make adjustments, Address
issues, Implement processes and Capture results.

d.
Approaches like Lean, developed in industry, are also useful for improving
efficiency and reducing waste in health care organizations.
Yes, approaches designed in manufacturing can be used in health care and other
service industries.

e.
Adopting a Comprehensive Quality Improvement (CQI) program originally
developed for manufacturing is not recommended in a service industry like health
care. 
Feedback
Your answer is correct.
Lean is an approach that aims to reduce waste and improve efficiency and can be
readily applied in health care organizations. Six Sigma could be applied in a health
care context to identify errors and reduce variations in care. These models, and
others developed for manufacturing and industry, are easily transported to health
care. The steps in the DMAIC process are: Define; Measure; Analyze; Improve;
and Control
To review, refer to Lecture a, slides 17-19.

7. Match the quality improvement model to the most appropriate description.

An early approach to health care quality that identified
Answer 1
three categories for evaluation: structure, process, and Donabedian
outcomes   
Quality is considered an ongoing effort that requires Answer 2
involvement of the entire organization Total Quality Management (TQM)
 
A data-driven approach aimed at identifying and Answer 3
reducing defects and variation Six Sigma
 
An approach that focuses on maximizing value of Answer 4
products or services and reducing waste  Lean
 
Feedback
Your answer is correct.
Feedback: Lean focuses on reducing waste and improving efficiency. TQM has an
organization-wide scope and focuses on customer needs and expectations. Six
Sigma focuses on reducing defects and variation to achieve consistent high quality
results. The Donabedian model is among the earliest health care quality models
that includes review of care delivery and the resulting outcomes.
To review this topic, see Lecture a, slides 15-19.

8. Match the definition with the type of analytics.

Answer 1
Analysis of raw data to interpret what has already happened. Descriptive analytics
 
Complex, highly sophisticated analysis that yields
Answer 2
recommendations for best courses of action. It could be used to Prescriptive analytics
inform clinical decision-making.  
Analysis of data and past trends to anticipate what will likely Answer 3
happen in the future. Predictive analytics
 
Feedback
Your answer is correct.
Using descriptive analytics, individuals analyze data to determine
what has happened to make improvements. Predictive analytics goes a step further,
looking at what’s happened in the past to predict what could happen in the future.
Prescriptive analytics, the most complex of the three, goes even further, suggesting
what should happen based on past trends and probable future trends.
For more on this topic, see Lecture b, slides 10-13.

9. Which of the following is the best definition of health care data analytics? 

Select one:

a.
A system of computational and statistical tools and techniques used to identify
patterns and relationships in data and generate insights
Right! Generating insights is what it's all about.

b.
The process of gathering and measuring specific variables to retrieve, transform, or
classify information

c.
The study of the collection, analysis, interpretation, presentation, and organization
of data

d.
A set of operations performed on qualitative or quantitative variables, characters,
or symbols
Feedback
Your answer is correct.
The central focus of data analytics is the development of insights based on
identification of patterns and trends held within data that can lead to better
decision making. While various data processing techniques and mathematical
operations are employed, they are only useful in the context of analytics in
providing actionable insights.
This topic is discussed in Lecture b on slide 9.
10. Analytics supports improving health care delivery in all of the following
ways EXCEPT: 
Select one:

a.
Improving management of chronic disease and high-risk patients

b.
Reducing cost and increase organizational efficiency

c.
Eliminating the need for decision support tools
Right you are. Analytics can actually support development of decision support tools
based on clinical evidence and best practices.

d.
Supporting development of evidence-based protocols to improve patient outcomes

e.
Tracking disease outbreaks

f.
Identifying cases of fraud and abuse
Feedback
Your answer is correct.
Data analytics can support effective risk stratification and management of
populations with chronic diseases, development of evidence-based protocols,
tracking of disease outbreaks, improved organizational efficiencies, and
identification of fraud and abuse. Data analytics does not eliminate the need for
decision support tools.
There's more information on this topic in Lecture b, slides 5, 8, 9, 13, and 15.