Health Administration Prometric exam questions with answers

1. Question 1Communication and Relationship Managementmedium

   In stakeholder analysis, how should a group with high power and high interest, such as the hospital's board, be managed?

   1. AManage closely and involve them in key decisions
   2. BMonitor with minimal effort and leave them out of decisions
   3. CKeep them informed with occasional updates
   4. DLeave them alone until a problem arises
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: A. Manage closely and involve them in key decisions

   High power and high interest stakeholders can strongly affect the project and so need close engagement. Low priority groups are only monitored.

   Reference: Mendelow, Environmental Scanning: The Impact of the Stakeholder Concept (1981)

2. Question 2Communication and Relationship Managementhard

   A hospital faces a serious incident that attracts media attention. Which principle of crisis communication is most important?

   1. AGive accurate, timely information through one trained spokesperson
   2. BWait for the full investigation before saying anything
   3. CLet each employee speak to the press to give a complete story
   4. DRelease the favourable facts about the hospital and its response
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: A. Give accurate, timely information through one trained spokesperson

   One trained spokesperson delivers consistent, honest and prompt messages and keeps trust. Silence, many voices and selective facts cause rumours and mistrust.

   Reference: CDC, Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) Manual (2018 update)

3. Question 3Financemedium

   A laboratory has fixed costs of 120,000 per year. Each test is charged at 100 and has a variable cost of 40. How many tests must be done to break even?

   1. A2,000
   2. B1,200
   3. C3,000
   4. D4,000
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: A. 2,000

   Break-even volume equals fixed costs divided by the contribution margin per test. The margin is 100 minus 40, which is 60, and 120,000 divided by 60 is 2,000. The other values come from dividing by the wrong amount.

   Reference: Gapenski, Healthcare Finance: An Introduction to Accounting and Financial Management, 7th ed. (2019)

4. Question 4General Managementmedium

   According to situational leadership, which style suits a newly hired technician who is willing but has little experience?

   1. ADelegating, with full independence and little supervision from the manager
   2. BSupporting, with encouragement and little direction
   3. CDirecting, with specific instructions and close supervision
   4. DLaissez-faire, leaving the technician to work without guidance or oversight
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: C. Directing, with specific instructions and close supervision

   A newcomer with low competence needs clear directions and supervision. Delegating suits capable, committed staff, and a hands-off approach would leave the new staff without guidance.

   Reference: Hersey & Blanchard, Management of Organizational Behavior, 10th ed. (2012)

5. Question 5Health System Environmenteasy

   In a tiered health system, a patient is first seen at a primary care centre and is sent to a hospital only when needed. What is this arrangement called?

   1. AOpen access to tertiary hospitals so patients choose their own specialist
   2. BDirect specialist booking by patients, bypassing primary care
   3. CA cost-sharing mechanism
   4. DA referral system with primary care as the point of entry
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: D. A referral system with primary care as the point of entry

   A referral system routes patients from primary care to higher levels only when needed, which uses scarce specialist capacity well. Open access and direct booking bypass this, and cost-sharing is a financing tool.

   Reference: Buchbinder & Shanks, Introduction to Health Care Management, 3rd ed. (2016)

6. Question 6General Managementmedium

   Which set lists the four perspectives of the balanced scorecard?

   1. AStrengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the organisation overall
   2. BPlan, do, check and act, which are the stages of an improvement cycle
   3. CStructure, process, outcome and cost
   4. DFinancial, customer, internal process, and learning and growth
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: D. Financial, customer, internal process, and learning and growth

   Kaplan and Norton's scorecard uses financial, customer, internal process, and learning and growth. The other sets belong to SWOT analysis, the PDCA cycle and the Donabedian framework.

   Reference: Kaplan & Norton, The Balanced Scorecard: Translating Strategy into Action (1996)

7. Question 7General Managementmedium

   The radiology and emergency departments both ask for the same budget increase, and the manager works with both to find a solution that meets the main needs of each. Which conflict style is this?

   1. ACollaborating
   2. BCompeting, in which the manager pushes one department's request through
   3. CAvoiding, in which the manager postpones the decision to a later date
   4. DAccommodating, in which the manager gives in to the louder department
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: A. Collaborating

   Collaborating seeks a solution that satisfies the key interests of both parties. Competing forces one's own position, avoiding withdraws, and accommodating gives in.

   Reference: Thomas & Kilmann, Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (2008)

8. Question 8General Managementmedium

   In a matrix structure, a nurse reports both to a ward manager and to a clinical programme director. What is the main drawback?

   1. ARole conflict arising from dual reporting lines
   2. BPoor access to cross-functional skills within the ward team
   3. CSlower communication across departments because of an extra management layer
   4. DThe lack of specialised teams within the clinical programme
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: A. Role conflict arising from dual reporting lines

   Dual authority can create competing demands and confusion for staff. The matrix is used to improve cross-functional coordination, not to hinder it.

   Reference: Robbins & Coulter, Management, 14th ed. (2018)

9. Question 9General Managementmedium

   A nurse learns that a colleague with the same experience earns a higher salary and reduces her effort. Which motivation theory explains this?

   1. AExpectancy theory
   2. BMaslow's hierarchy of needs
   3. CGoal-setting theory
   4. DEquity theory
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: D. Equity theory

   Equity theory states that people compare their inputs and rewards with others and adjust effort if they feel unfairly treated. Expectancy theory links effort to outcome probability, and Maslow ranks needs.

   Reference: Robbins & Judge, Organizational Behavior, 18th ed. (2018)

10. Question 10General Managementmedium

    A 50-bed ward recorded 1,125 inpatient days in a 30-day month. What was the bed occupancy rate?

    1. A60%
    2. B75%
    3. C85%
    4. D112%
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: B. 75%

    Occupancy equals inpatient days divided by available bed days, which is 1,125 divided by 1,500, giving 75%. The other values come from wrong denominators.

    Reference: Sayles (ed.), Health Information Management Technology: An Applied Approach, 5th ed. (AHIMA, 2016), hospital statistics

11. Question 11Health System Environmentmedium

    In a SWOT analysis for a private hospital, a new law that makes health insurance compulsory for all residents is classified as which factor?

    1. AA strength, because it improves the hospital's reputation
    2. BAn opportunity, because it is external and widens demand
    3. CA weakness, because it increases regulation
    4. DA threat, because patients may go elsewhere
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: B. An opportunity, because it is external and widens demand

    Strengths and weaknesses are internal, while opportunities and threats come from the environment. A law that widens insured demand is an external favourable factor. It is not internal, and the main effect is more paying patients, not a loss.

    Reference: Olden, Management of Healthcare Organizations: An Introduction, 3rd ed. (2017)

12. Question 12Human Resourcesmedium

    According to Herzberg's two-factor theory, which of the following is a hygiene factor rather than a motivator?

    1. ARecognition for achievement
    2. BSalary
    3. CResponsibility
    4. DOpportunity for advancement
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: B. Salary

    Hygiene factors such as salary, working conditions and policy prevent dissatisfaction but do not create lasting motivation. Achievement, recognition, responsibility and advancement are motivators.

    Reference: Herzberg, One More Time: How Do You Motivate Employees? Harvard Business Review (1968)

13. Question 13Human Resourcesmedium

    A manager rates a nurse as excellent on every criterion because the nurse is always punctual, although patient feedback is poor. Which appraisal error is this?

    1. AThe halo effect
    2. BCentral tendency
    3. CRecency bias
    4. DLeniency error
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: A. The halo effect

    The halo effect is letting one favourable trait, here punctuality, colour the rating of all other criteria. Central tendency rates everyone near the middle, recency bias overweights recent events, and leniency rates everyone too high without a single trait driving it.

    Reference: Robbins & Coulter, Management, 14th ed. (2018)

14. Question 14Human Resourcesmedium

    A hospital had an average of 150 employees during the year and 18 employees left. What is the annual staff turnover rate?

    1. A8.3%
    2. B18%
    3. C12%
    4. D15%
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: C. 12%

    Turnover equals separations divided by average headcount, so 18 divided by 150 is 12%. The value 8.3% inverts the ratio, 18% treats the count as a percentage, and 15% is not derived from the data.

    Reference: Buchbinder & Shanks, Introduction to Health Care Management, 3rd ed. (2016)

15. Question 15Information Managementmedium

    A hospital information system should let a billing clerk see charges but not clinical notes. Which control is most suitable?

    1. ARole-based access control
    2. BShared passwords for each department
    3. CA single administrator account
    4. DDisabling the audit log
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: A. Role-based access control

    Role-based access gives each user only the permissions their job needs, which protects confidentiality. Shared accounts and disabled logs remove accountability.

    Reference: ISO 27799:2016, Health informatics: Information security management in health

Last reviewed September 2026. Questions are original and written to the published exam blueprint; they are not taken from any real paper.