SECTION A

(MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS)

A.1
Health care organizations play an important role in population health. Given the current directions in health service delivery, which of the following is the most appropriate role for a health care organization to play?

a) developing secondary prevention clinics in collaboration with community agencies and disease-related organizations
b) developing primary prevention programs for the community in conjunction with community agencies
c) facilitating the community development approach to managing the determinants of health for specific high risk populations in the community
d) none of the above

A.2
Which of the following statements is the most important consideration in developing an effective media relations program for a health service organization?

a) identify clear objectives for a media relations program and ensure they are communicated to everyone concerned
b) invite the media to an open house at your organization
c) maintain regular communication with the media on topical issues
d) advise members of the media regarding their role at the organization

A.3
The two factors which seem to be the most important determinants of health are:

a) Income and social status
b) Education and literacy
c) Employment and working conditions
d) Social environments and social support networks

A.4
The Romanow Commission (i.e. The Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada) was established by the federal government in 2001. It's mandate was to:

a) engage Canadians in a national dialogue on the future of health care
b) make recommendations to preserve a publicly funded health care system as well as a private system
c) develop strategies to recruit and retain health care workers
d) find ways to maintain the health system in its current state

A.5
Corporate planning focuses on:

a) the organization’s vision and mission
b) future program scope
c) organizational effectiveness
d) all of the above

A.6
You are the newly appointed CEO of a health care organization, In the first few weeks in your new position, you are concerned by the lack of consistent understanding of the organization’s strategy on the part of your executives. Some have even commented that "it doesn't seem to make any difference anyway...people do what they've always done and feel they need to do." You have discovered that, while there is a strategic plan for your organization,, there is no formal planning process and the setting of the strategic directions was historically the pursue of the past CEO and the VP Finance. You would like to create a formal strategic planning process that is more inclusive, and is a meaningful guide to the actions of your executives and their staff. At what stage of the strategic planning process should you involve your executives?

a) the strategy formation stage, where the initial ideas around what the strategy should be are developed
b) after the point of receiving approval to develop your strategy further from your Board
c) the strategy implementation stage, where you present your strategy and seek assistance in implementing it
d) the strategy evaluation stage, where you formulate the strategy, put it in place, and call upon your executives six months later to comment on its effectiveness

A.7
There are several activities which are essential to effective strategic planning. They include:

1) CEO defined vision, mission, and values
2) defined roles and responsibilities
3) adequate consultation, discussion, and feedback
4) indicators that will be measured and monitored

a) 1, 2, and 3
b) 1, 2, and 4
c) 2, 3, and 4
d) all of the above

A.8
There are many definitions of program management in the literature. Which of the following statements most closely resembles program management as applied to the delivery of health services?

a) It is an organized system of services or an interrelated series of activities designed to address the health care needs of a specific target population. The approach to care is interdisciplinary, with an individual or individuals accountable for program administration.
b) Each major program has several program components and each component includes a number of service elements. Program components are clearly defined subsets of the total program. Each of the components is an integral part of the program.
c) It is an organized set of activities designed to meet identified goals.
d) It is composed of sets of services that attempt to meet specific health needs or achieve particular objectives.

A.9
Which of the following statements is incorrect with respect to total quality management (TQM) and quality assurance (QA)?

a) TQM is proactive and preventive, whereas QA is reactive and retrospective
b) QA focuses on structure, whereas TQM focuses on process
c) TQM focuses on system performance, whereas QA focuses on departmental performance
d) TQM is ongoing, whereas QA is episodic

A.10
Many program evaluation systems have focused on program outputs (goods and services), but there has been a definite shift towards recognizing the need to evaluate program outcomes (the impact of a service on clients).

Which of the following are program outcomes?

1. to discharge 85 percent of patients after four days
2. to increase the number of patients seen weekly from 70 to 100
3. to increase patients’ knowledge of how to minimize lower back pain
4. to increase exercise tolerance of cardiac patients

a) 1,2 and 3
b) 3 & 4
c) 1 & 2
d) 2, 3, and 4

A.11
Intellectual capital in an organization is comprised of:

a) human capital -- the tacit knowledge embedded in the minds of an organization's employees
b) structural capital -- the outlines, rules, and procedures relied upon to develop and deliver an organization's products and services
c) relational capital -- the knowledge embedded in the relationships established with the organization's external environment (e.g., stakeholders including consumers, regulators, and suppliers)
d) all of the above

A.12
Which of the following is the most appropriate first step in addressing this situation?

a) create a multidisciplinary and multi-departmental task force to recommend ”belt-tightening” opportunities throughout the organization
b) conduct a cost-benefit analysis of each direct patient and non-direct patient service and determine which ones could be reduced or eliminated
c) give each service a 15 percent target and ask them to identify cost reductions needed to reach that target; then meet to analyze the priorities
d) revisit the organization’s strategic plan to compare future and current services, and identify those that might be changed and/or reduced/eliminated with minimal impact on the organization’s ability to achieve its objectives

A.13
Which process is not critical as a first step in the initial development of a new program or service?

a) delineate the new organizational structure
b) investigate needs and targets
c) develop a business case proposal
d) define the objectives of the program or service

SECTION B

(SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS)

Following are short answer questions. Please list your answers in point form.

B.1
CCHSA's accreditation process encourages a focus on population health. The objective of population health is to improve the health status of the population served. This is measured by health status indicators and influenced by a number of factors, including social, economic and physical environments, personal health practices, individual capacity and coping skills, human biology, early childhood development, and health services. Briefly describe the key elements of a population health approach to improving the health of a population.

B.2
Identify 4 things that an environmental analysis enables a health care organization to do?

B.3
Two significant national reports on the Canadian health care system are the Romanow report and the Kirby report. List 5 recommendations they have in common.

B.4
Identify five factors in our current environment that negatively impact the health service environment:

B.5
Discuss the pros and cons of implementing a case-cost funding model in our current health care environment.