SCFHS Health Informatics exam questions

The Health Informatics exam in every GCC country

From each regulator's own exam pages; anything a regulator does not publish says so. Assessment mode also depends on your licence title, so confirm your route on your eligibility notice.

12 worked Health Informatics practice questions

Original exam-style questions from the bank, spread across the blueprint domains. They are not real or recalled exam questions. Try each one, then open the answer for the rationale and reference. None of them appear in the free mock exam, so reading them will not spoil it.

1. Question 1 · Clinical Classification System

   What does the principal diagnosis mean for inpatient coding?

   1. AThe first diagnosis written by the admitting nurse
   2. BThe condition established after study to be chiefly responsible for the admission
   3. CThe most serious chronic disease of the patient
   4. DThe diagnosis with the highest reimbursement
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: B. The condition established after study to be chiefly responsible for the admission

   The principal diagnosis is the condition determined after study to be mainly responsible for the admission. Choosing by order, chronicity or payment is incorrect.

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

2. Question 2 · Databases, Applications and Electronic Health Records

   What is the main safety benefit of computerised physician order entry (CPOE)?

   1. AIt removes pharmacist review of medication orders
   2. BIt makes verbal orders mandatory
   3. CIt removes errors caused by illegible handwriting
   4. DIt stores records on paper
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: C. It removes errors caused by illegible handwriting

   Typed orders are clear and can be checked by decision support. Pharmacists still review orders, and CPOE replaces verbal and handwritten orders.

   Reference: Abdelhak & Hanken, Health Information: Management of a Strategic Resource, 5th ed. (2016)

3. Question 3 · Health Record Content, Structure and Format

   In the problem-oriented medical record, what do the letters of the SOAP note stand for?

   1. ASymptoms, observations, admission and procedure
   2. BSummary, orders, analysis and prognosis
   3. CSource, origin, authority and proof
   4. DSubjective, objective, assessment and plan
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: D. Subjective, objective, assessment and plan

   SOAP organises progress notes into subjective, objective, assessment and plan. The other expansions are invented.

   Reference: Huffman, Health Information Management, 10th ed. (Physicians' Record Company, 1994)

4. Question 4 · Health Statistics

   Which events form the numerator of the perinatal mortality rate?

   1. ANeonatal deaths in the first 28 days of life, with no fetal deaths
   2. BDeaths of children under five years of age per 1,000 live births
   3. CLate fetal deaths and early neonatal deaths in the first week of life
   4. DMaternal deaths within 42 days of delivery, including abortion deaths
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: C. Late fetal deaths and early neonatal deaths in the first week of life

   The perinatal rate counts late fetal deaths (stillbirths) plus early neonatal deaths in the first seven days. Neonatal, under-five and maternal deaths are separate measures.

   Reference: WHO, International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, ICD-10, 5th ed. (2016)

5. Question 5 · Hospital Statistics

   Which statement correctly describes the net hospital death rate?

   1. AIt includes deaths in the intensive care unit alone
   2. BIt excludes deaths occurring within 48 hours of admission
   3. CIt counts deaths after surgical procedures alone
   4. DIt is calculated using outpatient visits as the denominator
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: B. It excludes deaths occurring within 48 hours of admission

   The net death rate removes deaths within 48 hours of admission, which are assumed to reflect the patient's condition on arrival and not the hospital's care. The gross rate includes all deaths, and the denominator is discharges, not visits.

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

6. Question 6 · Medical Record Numbering and Filing System

   Under a terminal digit system with three pairs of digits, which record is filed in the same primary section as 38-52-17?

   1. A17-52-38
   2. B38-52-71
   3. C52-38-71
   4. D91-04-17
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: D. 91-04-17

   The primary section uses the last pair of digits, which is 17 for 38-52-17. Only 91-04-17 ends with 17. The others end with 38, 71 and 71.

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

7. Question 7 · Hospital Statistics

   At the midnight census a ward had 40 patients. During the next 24 hours, 6 patients were admitted, 4 were discharged and 1 died. How many patients will be counted at the next midnight census?

   1. A45
   2. B36
   3. C41
   4. D47
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: C. 41

   The next census equals the starting census plus admissions minus discharges and deaths: 40 + 6 - 4 - 1 = 41. 45 leaves out the discharges, 36 leaves out the admissions and the death, and 47 adds the death.

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

8. Question 8 · Analysis and Completion of Health Records

   A technician reviewing a discharged record finds a discharge diagnosis of pneumonia, but no chest imaging report, no antibiotic order and no related progress note. What should the technician do?

   1. ARemove the diagnosis from the record so that it matches the documents
   2. BKeep the diagnosis and code it, since the discharge summary states it
   3. CAsk the patient to bring the missing reports to the hospital
   4. DFlag the record as lacking clinical support and send a query to the physician about the diagnosis
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: D. Flag the record as lacking clinical support and send a query to the physician about the diagnosis

   Qualitative analysis checks that the content supports the diagnosis and treatment, and a gap is resolved by a query to the responsible physician. Staff cannot delete a diagnosis, coding without support is unsafe, and the patient is not the source of the hospital's own records.

   Reference: Abdelhak et al., Health Information: Management of a Strategic Resource, 5th ed., 2015

9. Question 9 · Health Record Retention

   The retention period for a group of old records has ended, but some of them relate to a legal claim that is not yet settled. What should happen to those records?

   1. AThey are destroyed on schedule to follow the policy
   2. BDestruction is suspended for them until the claim is resolved and legal counsel confirms release
   3. CThey are copied to paper and the originals are shredded
   4. DThey are moved to the office of the physician involved
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: B. Destruction is suspended for them until the claim is resolved and legal counsel confirms release

   A legal hold overrides the normal retention schedule while a claim is open. Destroying records or moving them to an interested party risks loss of evidence and legal penalties.

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

10. Question 10 · Medical Record Numbering and Filing System

    A patient gets a new number at each admission, and the earlier records are moved to the new number so that all are filed together. Which numbering system is this?

    1. ASerial numbering, with the old records left where they were filed
    2. BUnit numbering, with one number kept for life
    3. CFamily numbering, which groups relatives under one number
    4. DSerial-unit numbering, with earlier records brought forward
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: D. Serial-unit numbering, with earlier records brought forward

    Serial-unit numbering gives a new number at each admission but brings the earlier records forward to the newest number. Serial numbering leaves the old records under old numbers, unit numbering keeps one number for life, and family numbering groups relatives.

    Reference: Abdelhak et al., Health Information: Management of a Strategic Resource, 5th ed., 2015

11. Question 11 · Health Services and Health Insurance Management

    A policy has an annual deductible of 500, and then the insurer pays 80% of covered costs. The patient has paid none of the deductible this year, and the covered bill is 2,500. How much does the patient pay?

    1. A1,000
    2. B500
    3. C900
    4. D2,000
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: C. 900

    The patient pays the 500 deductible, and then 20% of the remaining 2,000, which is 400, for a total of 900. 1,000 applies the coinsurance to the full bill, 500 ignores coinsurance, and 2,000 is the insurer share of the whole bill.

    Reference: Abdelhak et al., Health Information: Management of a Strategic Resource, 5th ed., 2015

12. Question 12 · Health Statistics

    A region had 6 maternal deaths and 20,000 live births in a year. What is the maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births?

    1. A3
    2. B300
    3. C12
    4. D30
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: D. 30

    The ratio equals maternal deaths divided by live births, times 100,000: 6 / 20,000 x 100,000 = 30. The other values are scaling errors.

    Reference: Abdelhak et al., Health Information: Management of a Strategic Resource, 5th ed., 2015

Health Informatics reference books and guidelines

Every question in this bank names the textbook or guideline its answer rests on. These are the sources our Health Informatics questions cite most often - the reading list to revise from alongside the bank.

Where your regulator publishes a reading list, use the editions it names. Exam questions are not taken from any one book.