NAHQ Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality Examination CPHQ Question # 124 Topic 13 Discussion
CPHQ Exam Topic 13 Question 124 Discussion:
Question #: 124
Topic #: 13
A pharmacy staff member informs a healthcare quality professional that use of a particularly expensive drug has been increasing over the past six months. Which of the following is the next best step?
A.
Collect data related to the administration and monitoring of the effects of this drug
B.
Recommend peer reviews of prescribing practitioners
C.
Continue to monitor the pharmacy data for an additional six months
D.
Collect data related to the prescribing and dispensing patterns for this drug
The NAHQ CPHQ exam blueprint emphasizes that when a potential issue is identified, the first step is to understand the scope and drivers of the variation through appropriate data collection. In this case, an increase in use of an expensive medication signals a potential utilization or prescribing pattern issue.
Option D is correct because collecting data on prescribing and dispensing patterns allows the quality professional to identify trends by provider, indication, patient population, or location. This aligns with CPHQ principles of data-driven analysis prior to intervention.
Option A focuses on clinical outcomes, which may be relevant later but does not address why utilization is increasing. Option B is premature and risks a punitive approach without evidence. Option C delays analysis and does not support timely improvement.
The CPHQ framework stresses avoiding assumptions and beginning with objective utilization analysis, making Option D the correct next step.
Contribute your Thoughts:
Chosen Answer:
This is a voting comment (?). You can switch to a simple comment. It is better to Upvote an existing comment if you don't have anything to add.
Submit