Multiple Choice
Identify the
letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
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| 1. | How did the
studies of the ancient Greek physicians influence the progress of medicine during the period of
history known as the “Dark Ages”? a. | encouraged the founding of research centers and scientific
experiments | b. | discouraged further study because they were considered to be
the final authority | c. | encouraged the founding of hospitals and humane treatment of
patients | d. | had no real effect because the early Christians ignored their
writings | | |
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| 2. | Which of the
following organizations provided the world’s best medical training at the end of the
1800s? a. | Royal Society of
London | c. | Carnegie
Foundation | b. | General Medical Council of
Britain | d. | Johns Hopkins
University | | | | |
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| 3. | What
was Abraham Flexner’s contribution to medical education in North America? a. | the founding of
a statutory body that set standards for physicians | b. | the
establishment of admission standards for medical students | c. | the
transformation of the curriculum and methods for teaching medicine | d. | the preparation
and publication of a review that rated the quality of medical schools | | |
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| 4. | Which
scientist first described the manner in which the heart functions as a pump that continually
circulates the blood? a. | Edward Jenner | c. | John Hunter | b. | William
Harvey | d. | Andreas
Vesalius | | | | |
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| 5. | Smallpox, among other diseases, used to be “pandemic.” This means that
it: a. | was caught by
most of the people who lived in a given geographic area | b. | was nearly
always fatal for anyone who caught it | c. | was common on farms where people worked closely with
animals | d. | was caused by unsanitary conditions and contaminated
water | | |
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| 6. | What
contribution was made by Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis that was drastically reduced deaths that commonly
took place in hospitals? a. | promoted the use of vaccinations in
Hungary | b. | insisted on the disinfection of physician’s hands before
assisting with childbirth | c. | encouraged better educational methods for hospital
personnel | d. | discovered that heat killed disease-causing microorganisms in
contaminated water | | |
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| 7. | The
term “chemotherapy” refers to which of the following medical procedures? a. | treatment of
diseases through the use of x-rays | b. | diagnosis of diseases that are caused by chemical agents
entering the body | c. | treatment of diseases by chemical
means | d. | alleviation of pain through the use of anesthetic
agents | | |
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| 8. | Which
two scientists developed a vaccine that brought polio under control? a. | Helen Tausig and
Alfred Blalock | b. | Albert Sabin and Jonas Salk | c. | Alexander
Fleming and Howard Florey | d. | Walter Reed and Sir Frederick Grant
Banting | | |
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| 9. | Which
procedure was first performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard? a. | operation to
save babies born with malformed hearts | b. | heart transplant from one human to
another | c. | catheterization for diagnosing heart
disease | d. | injection of penicillin to cure infectious
diseases | | |
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| 10. | Which
healthcare professional is trained to practice medicine under the supervision of a
physician? a. | medical
technologist | c. | medical
assistant | b. | paramedic | d. | physician assistant | | | | |
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| 11. | Which
allied health professional works with a physician who specializes in the care of the
eye? a. | surgical
technologists | c. | cytotechnologist | b. | ophthalmic medical technician | d. | audiologist | | | | |
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| 12. | The
principal purpose of managed care is to provide patients with: a. | access to needed
specialists | b. | proper care at the least possible
cost | c. | a supervising
physician who understands their health needs | d. | adequate
preventive healthcare | | |
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| 13. | Who
sets the cost of medical services in “fee-for-service arrangements”? a. | local medical
societies | c. | insurance
companies | b. | federal government | d. | physicians | | | | |
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| 14. | The
medical specialty that deals with the causes and effects of diseases is called: a. | internal
medicine | c. | immunology | b. | preventive medicine | d. | pathology | | | | |
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| 15. | The
allied health specialist who performs ultrasound diagnostic procedures under the supervision of a
physician is called a: a. | cytotechnologist | c. | electrodiagnostic technologist | b. | diagnostic
medical sonographer | d. | perfusionist | | | | |
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| 16. | What
type of registered nurse has advanced training to diagnose and treat common
illnesses? a. | anesthetist | c. | dietician | b. | practitioner | d. | practical | | | | |
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| 17. | The
agency that inspects for safe workplaces is the:
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| 18. | A
method of prioritizing patients so that the most urgent receive care first is
called: a. | case
management | c. | triage | b. | accreditation | | | | |
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| 19. | Which
of the following statements is true regarding the revisions made to the AMA Code of Ethics in
1980? a. | The number of
sections was increased to include the growing number of ethical concerns. | b. | The preamble was
eliminated to allow more space for expansion of the sections. | c. | The standards
were modified to reflect a legal rather than a moral approach to medicine. | d. | Changes to the
language were made to achieve a balance between modern laws and our society’s professional
standards. | | |
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| 20. | Which
statement best describes the practice known as “fee splitting”? a. | It is the
unethical practice of basing the physician’s fee on the success of the
treatment. | b. | It is the unethical practice in which physicians are paid for
referring patients. | c. | It refers to the lowering of the physician’s fee as a way
to help poor patients. | d. | It is an appropriate method of allowing two physicians to work
together in treating a patient. | | |
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| 21. | What
is the greatest ethical problem created by the use of computers and patient databases in the modern
medical office? a. | Important
patient information can be lost because of lack of knowledge in the use of the
computer. | b. | Unauthorized persons may gain access to confidential medical
records. | c. | Many patients believe that computers represent an impersonal
way of conducting business. | d. | It has increased the cost of providing medical
care. | | |
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| 22. | What
is the most serious action that can be taken against a physician who is found to be practicing under
the influence of narcotic drugs? a. | expulsion from the local medical
society | b. | suspension of his medical license | c. | accusation of
unethical conduct | d. | revoking of his medical license | | |
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| 23. | Which
statement best describes the difference between criminal and civil law? a. | Criminal governs
crimes against society as a whole; civil governs crimes against
individuals. | b. | Criminal governs very serious and violent crimes; civil governs
less serious crimes. | c. | Criminal regulates professional behavior that might harm
clients; civil regulates behavior in nonprofessional situations. | d. | Criminal
regulates individual actions; civil regulates group actions. | | |
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| 24. | An
emancipated minor is a person under legal age who: a. | has had a
child | c. | works full
time | b. | is in
college | d. | lives
independently of her parents | | | | |
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| 25. | Which
of the following is NOT one of the “four Ds” of negligence included in a report by the AMA
Committee on Medicolegal Problems? a. | damages | c. | derelict | b. | deceit | d. | duty | | | | |
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| 26. | Experience has shown which of the following to be the major influence on whether a
patient sues his physician for malpractice? a. | the personal relationship developed between the physician and
patient | b. | the reputation of the physician in the
community | c. | the professional expertise of the
physician | d. | the patient’s medical insurance
company | | |
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| 27. | The
formal product of a legislative body; a decision or determination of a sovereign, a legislative
council, or a court of justice is called: a. | ordinance | c. | law | b. | act | d. | code | | | | |
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| 28. | A
minor crime, as opposed to a felony, punishable by fine or imprisonment in a city or county jail
rather than in a penitentiary is called a: a. | felony | c. | larceny | b. | misdemeanor | d. | statute | | | | |
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| 29. | A
officer of the U.S. courts who serves as a messenger to the judge is called a: a. | marshal | c. | bailiff | b. | deputy | d. | reporter | | | | |
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| 30. | Which of the
following is an output device? a. | printer | c. | monitor | b. | scanner | d. | keyboard | | | | |
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| 31. | Formatting a disk: a. | makes it usable | b. | organizes disks
into tracks and sectors | c. | both a and b | d. | none of the
above | | |
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| 32. | Storage devices include all of the following EXCEPT: a. | hard disk
drive | c. | CD-ROM
drive | b. | modem | d. | Zip drive | | | | |
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| 33. | All
of the following are advantages to using laser printers EXCEPT: a. | cost | c. | quality of
printing | b. | speed | d. | efficiency | | | | |
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| 34. | Which
of the following is internal memory that cannot be overwritten and is not erased when the computer is
turned off? a. | RAM | c. | CPU | b. | ROM | d. | hard disk | | | | |
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| 35. | An
application program is software that is designed to: a. | perform a
variety of tasks such as word processing, database functions, and patient
billing | b. | provide the computer with a set of basic instructions for
executing other programs | c. | interpret the program instructions | d. | all of the
above | | |
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| 36. | Which
of the following are advantages of a computerized office database? a. | All information
about providers, patients, insurance carriers, diagnosis and procedure codes, charges, and payments
is together and easily accessible. | b. | It can be used by more than one person at the same time if
networked. | c. | It has the ability to link related pieces of information to
process insurance claims. | d. | All of the above. | | |
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| 37. | A
dialog box in Windows is: a. | a box used to turn options on and off | b. | a window that
appears requesting more information from the user | c. | a standard value
used by the software | d. | a location on screen in which files are
stored | | |
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| 38. | A
series of computers that are linked together allowing them to share information is
a(n): a. | database | c. | network | b. | clearinghouse | d. | Internet | | | | |
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| 39. | A
computer’s communication tool that is used to send and receive text messages and documents is
called: a. | cellular
phone | c. | pager | b. | voice mail | d. | electronic mail | | | | |
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| 40. | Which
of the following is used to make sure that all office computer programs and data are secure in case
of a mishap, fire, or natural disaster? a. | RAM | c. | write-protection | b. | microprocessor | d. | backup
policy | | | | |
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| 41. | Which
of the following is not a part of the hardware of a computer system? a. | disk
drive | c. | hard
copy | b. | monitor | d. | printer | | | | |
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| 42. | Clockspeed is expressed as: a. | baud | c. | megabytes | b. | bytes | d. | megahertz | | | | |
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| 43. | Which
of the following is not a type of printer? a. | monochrome | c. | laser | b. | dot
matrix | d. | ink
jet | | | | |
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| 44. | Which
of the following is a photographic file?
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| 45. | Which
of the following is the largest?
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| 46. | Which
of the following domains is used by universities?
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| 47. | Which
printer would be the best selection if you plan to prepare multicolored newsletters with
computer-generated graphics and illustrations? a. | dot matrix | c. | color laser | b. | ink
jet | d. | letter
quality | | | | |
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| 48. | Which
printer uses replaceable cartridges which must be factored in when planning the long-range cost of
the machine? a. | dot
matrix | c. | laser | b. | ink jet | d. | letter quality | | | | |
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| 49. | The
most common use for diskettes today is for: a. | storing information | b. | giving
instructions to your computer while you are using it | c. | substituting for
the Zip drive | d. | formatting your computer | | |
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| 50. | Which
of the following is an example of computer software? a. | e-mail | c. | floppy
diskette | b. | internal memory | d. | Word 2000 | | | | |
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| 51. | For
which task might a database management software program be used in the medical
office? a. | preparing
letters and reports | b. | tracking accounts payable | c. | preparing
invoices for insurance billing | d. | organizing and storing patient
information | | |
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| 52. | What
special type of hardware would you need in order to file your insurance claims
electronically? a. | network
system | c. | scanner | b. | modem | d. | magnetic tape drive | | | | |
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| 53. | A
telephone call that is operator assisted and includes several doctors at separate offices is
a: a. | conference
call | c. | international
call | b. | message-unit
call | d. | referenced
call | | | | |
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| 54. | If
you are in the habit of preplanning phone calls, this means that you always: a. | practice ahead
of time what you are going to say in the call | b. | prepare a
detailed list of what you are going to discuss | c. | have any needed
files or reference materials in front of you | d. | make a master
list in the morning of calls that needed to be made during the day | | |
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| 55. | Which
of the following types of communication tools can be used to record verbal messages? a. | voice
mail | c. | e-mail | b. | fax | d. | call waiting | | | | |
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| 56. | Which
of the following types of communication tools can be used for two-way communication? a. | voice
mail | c. | beeper | b. | fax | d. | cell phone | | | | |
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| 57. | Which
of the following types of calls should be limited in the professional setting? a. | local | c. | toll-free | b. | long distance | d. | personal | | | | |
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| 58. | Inflection is: a. | the choice of words | c. | the quality of being clear | b. | the highness or
lowness of sound | d. | a change in
pitch | | | | |
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| 59. | Pitch
is: a. | the choice of
words | c. | the quality of
being clear | b. | the highness or lowness of
sound | d. | a change in
pitch | | | | |
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| 60. | Enunciation is: a. | the choice of words | c. | to articulate clear sounds | b. | the highness or
lowness of sound | d. | a change in
pitch | | | | |
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| 61. | The
mouthpiece of the telephone handset should be held: a. | below the
chin | c. | one inch from
the chin | b. | three fingers from the lips | d. | one inch from the lips | | | | |
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| 62. | The
medical assistant is extremely careful when using a speakerphone because: a. | the service is
expensive | c. | it can be
traced | b. | it is distracting | d. | confidentiality can be violated | | | | |
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| 63. | Why
is it unsatisfactory to answer the office phone by only saying “Hello?” a. | The caller may
think they have the wrong number. | b. | It saves time. | c. | It makes the
caller feel rushed. | d. | It is OK if you’re in a hurry. | | |
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| 64. | If
your office is in California and it is noon, what time is it on the East Coast? a. | 8:00
AM | c. | 3:00
PM | b. | 9:00
AM | d. | 4:00
PM | | | | |
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| 65. | If
your office is on the West Coast, what time is the latest time to call the East
Coast? a. | 11:00
AM | c. | 2:00
PM | b. | 1:00
PM | d. | 4:00
PM | | | | |
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| 66. | A
tickler file is an effective organizational tool to help the medical assistant: a. | mail appointment
reminders | c. | learn to
schedule efficiently | b. | remember patient’s names | d. | manage office hours effectively | | | | |
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| 67. | Which
of the following features is not a basic requirement of the office appointment book? a. | appropriate
size | c. | easy to write
in | b. | color coding of
days | d. | space for
notations | | | | |
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| 68. | What
information would you need in order to properly matrix the appointment book? a. | days and hours
the physician performs hospital rounds | b. | hours the physician wishes to reserve for walk-in
patients | c. | patient preferences regarding appointment
times | d. | customary times for scheduling routine physical
exams | | |
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| 69. | The
way to organize appointment scheduling so that it best supports the success of the practice is
to: a. | schedule as many
patients as possible throughout the entire day | b. | allow frequent
rest breaks | c. | include a lot of time for the physician’s administrative
activities | d. | consider the preferences of the
physician | | |
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| 70. | The
principal advantage of using the wave method when designing the scheduling process is that
it: a. | allows
flexibility to accommodate the unpredictable | b. | gives priority
to established patients | c. | provides more breaks for staff | d. | enables the
physician to see more patients each day | | |
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| 71. | Which
is the best approach to efficiently handle the scheduling of patients who are due for an
appointment? a. | send out a
reminder that asks the patient to call | b. | call the patient personally | c. | schedule a date
and time and notify the patient | d. | it is the patient’s responsibility to
remember | | |
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| 72. | An
effective way to deal with patients who are always late for appointments is to: a. | refuse to
schedule them after this happens several times | b. | have them wait
until it is convenient for the physician | c. | advise them that they disrupt the office
schedule | d. | give them the last appointment of the
day | | |
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| 73. | What
is the most important action to take when changing a patient’s appointment
time? a. | finding out and
noting why the time must be changed | b. | reminding them of any past due
balances | c. | emphasizing the importance of keeping the new
appointment | d. | erasing the patient’s name from the original
slot | | |
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| 74. | When
informing patients that you must postpone their appointments for at least two weeks, it is good
practice to: a. | give them the
name of one or more alternative physicians | b. | explain exactly why the physician cannot see
them | c. | offer them
priority over patients already scheduled in the future | d. | be extremely
apologetic about the inconvenience | | |
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| 75. | Which
is NOT a good way of scheduling? a. | wave | c. | modified wave | b. | double-booking | d. | categorization
or grouping | | | | |
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| 76. | A
matrix in the schedule: a. | avoids overcrowding | b. | keeps from
booking during meetings and hospital rounds | c. | is only used in
large offices | d. | is done at the end of the day | | |
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| 77. | What
is the most important reason for ensuring that there are sufficient quantities of all supplies each
day in the medical office? a. | maintain office reputation for
efficiency | b. | prevent inconvenience of staff | c. | avoid
interruption of patient flow | d. | operate cost effectively by purchasing in
bulk | | |
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| 78. | Which
statement is true regarding the handling of charts for patients who have appointments on a given
day? a. | Pull all files
before the first patient arrives and arrange in the order that patients are
scheduled. | b. | Pull all files the night before and organize them
alphabetically. | c. | Pull the file for each patient as he or she arrives and give to
the physician. | d. | Check files for accuracy and completeness while the patient is
with the physician. | | |
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| 79. | Which
information item is not included on a Patient Information Sheet that new patients are required to
fill out? a. | Social Security
number | c. | name of
spouse | b. | name and address of relative | d. | summary of medical history | | | | |
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| 80. | Which
of the following practices should be followed by all medical offices when assisting new patients with
their registration forms? a. | physically collecting the completed form, rather than having
them leave it at the reception desk | b. | interviewing them and having a staff member fill out the form
in order to ensure accuracy | c. | leaving it on the counter | d. | only allowing an
experienced medical assistant to work with patients in filling out the
forms | | |
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| 81. | What
is the best way to decide if patients need special assistance in disrobing or otherwise preparing for
an exam or treatment? a. | ask all patients if you can be of
assistance | b. | wait for patients to request help | c. | use special
consideration with patients who display a disability | d. | offer help to
patients who appear ill or upset | | |
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| 82. | The
use of phonetic writing in the medical office can help you to: a. | better
understand medical abbreviations | b. | pronounce patients’ names
correctly | c. | learn the meaning of medical terms | d. | take notes
quickly and accurately | | |
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| 83. | Patients usually base their perceptions of an entire medical facility
on: a. | all their
experiences at the facility | b. | their previous healthcare experiences | c. | fears about
their health | d. | what they see when entering for the first
time | | |
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| 84. | Which
area of the office has the highest potential for accidents and should be checked throughout the
day? a. | examination
rooms | c. | floors | b. | storage cabinets | d. | waiting room | | | | |
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| 85. | Annotating incoming letters for physicians can help them by: a. | preventing them
from wasting time with “junk” mail sorting | b. | drawing their
attention to the most important parts of the letters | c. | researching the
information needed to answer the letter | d. | offering suggested responses | | |
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| 86. | Which
of the following would not be an appropriate responsibility of the medical assistant regarding office
copiers and printers? a. | repair machinery that is broken | b. | study the
manuals that accompany the machines | c. | learn how to use all equipment
properly | d. | be familiar with the service
contracts | | |
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| 87. | Which
size letterhead is appropriate for most business correspondence? a. | 5 1/2
´ 8 1/2
inches | c. | 8 1/2
´ 11
inches | b. | 7 1/4 ´ 10 1/2 inches | d. | 17 ´ 22 inches | | | | |
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| 88. | General and medical dictionaries and spelling guides are: a. | not necessary if
you have a word-processing spell checker | b. | necessary only if you have trouble with
spelling | c. | essential tools for every medical
office | d. | books to learn from while you are in
school | | |
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| 89. | What
is the most serious negative result of misspelling medical terms on patient records and in
correspondence? a. | appearance of
professional incompetence | b. | embarrassment for the medical
assistant | c. | errors in patient treatment | d. | failure to meet
requirements of insurance auditors | | |
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| 90. | The
best style to use when composing business letters in the medical office is: a. | the one with
which you are most comfortable | b. | the one that is preferred by your
physician | c. | the one that is most formal | d. | the one that is
highly technical and organized | | |
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| 91. | The
principal function of a well-organized portfolio of business letters is to help the medical
assistant: a. | write
correctly | c. | use one
consistent style | b. | save time | d. | spell accurately | | | | |
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| 92. | Which
letter style combines efficiency with an attractive page layout? a. | modified-block | b. | block | c. | simplified | d. | modified-block with indented
paragraphs | | |
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| 93. | Which
letter style would be most appropriate to use when writing a business letter to someone you know very
well? a. | modified-block | b. | block | c. | simplified | d. | modified-block with indented
paragraphs | | |
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| 94. | Which
of the following is the correct way to write the first line of an inside address in a letter to John
Kidwell, a pediatrician? a. | John Kidwell, Pediatrician | c. | Doctor John Kidwell | b. | Dr. John
Kidwell, MD | d. | John Kidwell,
MD | | | | |
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| 95. | What
is the purpose of noting “c: Alice Adams, MD” at the bottom of a letter? a. | request that the
receiver make a copy of the letter for Dr. Adams | b. | instruct the
medical assistant to send the same letter to Dr. Adams | c. | advise the
receiver that a duplicate letter has been sent to Dr. Adams | d. | tell the
receiver that Dr. Adams has more information about the subject of the
letter | | |
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| 96. | Indexing unit #1 is the patient’s: a. | given
name | c. | middle
name | b. | last
name | d. | maiden
name | | | | |
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| 97. | Arrange these names in alphabetical order. Select the sequence of the numbers when the
names are in alphabetical order. (1) Morton,
Dianne | (2) Marsh, Danielle | (3) McDouglass, Dillard | (4) MacDouglas,
David | |
a. | (1), (2), (3),
(4) | c. | (2), (3), (1),
(4) | b. | (3), (2), (4),
(1) | d. | (4), (2), (3),
(1) | | | | |
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| 98. | Arrange these names in alphabetical order. Select the sequence of the numbers when the
names are in alphabetical order. (1) Woods-Jones,
Stefanie | (2) Ross, Kim | (3) Mitchell, Pat | (4) Jones,
Sandra | |
a. | (1), (2), (3),
(4) | c. | (2), (3), (1),
(4) | b. | (3), (2), (4),
(1) | d. | (4), (3), (2),
(1) | | | | |
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| 99. | Which
type of special postal service would you use for a heavy, expensive piece of medical equipment being
returned to the manufacturer for a refund? a. | registered | c. | certified | b. | first
class | d. | special
delivery | | | | |
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| 100. | Which
statement is true regarding the procedures that the medical assistant should perform when handling
incoming mail? a. | Open and sort
all mail addressed to the office or the physician. | b. | Check carefully
for any enclosures mentioned in letters. | c. | Initial each item. | d. | Organize all
correspondence by postmark. | | |
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