CPHQ Study Guide 2026
Questions and Answers
Updated 2026
Recall Items - Answer23% of exam items require candidate recall.
Application Items - Answer57% of exam items require knowledge application.
Analysis Items - Answer20% of exam items require analysis skills.
Unscored Pretest Items - AnswerEach test includes 15 unscored pretest items.
Scored Items - AnswerTotal of 125 scored items in the exam.
Exam Duration - AnswerCandidates have 3 hours to complete the exam.
Quality Leadership - AnswerFocus on strategic planning and improvement activities.
Strategic Planning - AnswerProcess of defining organizational goals and actions.
Stakeholder Engagement - AnswerInvolves identifying resource needs for quality improvement.
Time Management Techniques - Answer1. Plan
2. Create a Task
3. Prioritize
4. Minimize paper handling
5. Use time effectively
6. Delegate
7. Use computer technology
,8. Avoid procrastination
Organization-wide strategic planning - AnswerIncludes:
- Collecting data and doing an external analysis of customer needs in relation to regulations and
demographics
- Analyzing internal services and functions
- Identifying and understanding key issues, including strengths and weaknesses of the organization,
potential opportunities, and negative impacts
- Developing revised mission and vision statements that identify core values
- Establishing specific goals and objectives, based on findings
External customers - AnswerA person who is outside the organization and someone who usually pays
for the service i.e patients
Internal Customers - AnswerThe people (i.e., employees) who work cooperatively together to
achieve business goals i.e physicians, nurses, accreditation agencies, community agencies, insurance
companies, suppliers
Voice of the Customer (VOC) - AnswerCapturing information from the consumer regarding their
experience with a product or service. Using data to determine customer requirements
Voice of the Customer (VOC) components - Answer1. Customer Needs
2. Hierarchical Structure
3. Priorities
4. Customer perception of perform-ace
Leadership vs. Management - AnswerLeadership inspires; management ensures tasks are done.
Vision Statement - AnswerCommitment the organization is making to its stakeholders.
Describes organization's goals for the future, instead of focusing on what has been already achieved
Mission Statement - AnswerReflects the current status of the organization describes the purpose of
the organization and its role in the community.
, Core Values - AnswerDefines organization's attitudes and guiding principles.
Goals - AnswerBroad statements specifying desired outcomes.
SMART Goals - Answer1. Specific
2. Measurable
3. Attainable
4. Relevant
5. Time-bound
Objectives - AnswerSpecific, measurable actions to achieve goals.
Analysis of Processes - AnswerPurpose for an analysis process is to develop a clear profile of the
organization current level of performance, stability of current process, areas of needed
improvement, strategies for improving process, and consistency of design and priorities.
Internal comparison - AnswerReviews patterns and trends, sentinel events , upper and lower control
limits
External comparison - AnswerReference base of manner in which others perform similar processes
and their outcomes
Standard comparison - AnswerCompares internal data with knowledge-based practice guidelines and
regulations.
Benchmark comparison - AnswerWhich can be internal vs external, and compares data with
benchmark or best practice data.
Value = Quality of Service + Outcome / Cost - Answer
Prioritization Matrix - AnswerDetermines which items take precedence.
Questions and Answers
Updated 2026
Recall Items - Answer23% of exam items require candidate recall.
Application Items - Answer57% of exam items require knowledge application.
Analysis Items - Answer20% of exam items require analysis skills.
Unscored Pretest Items - AnswerEach test includes 15 unscored pretest items.
Scored Items - AnswerTotal of 125 scored items in the exam.
Exam Duration - AnswerCandidates have 3 hours to complete the exam.
Quality Leadership - AnswerFocus on strategic planning and improvement activities.
Strategic Planning - AnswerProcess of defining organizational goals and actions.
Stakeholder Engagement - AnswerInvolves identifying resource needs for quality improvement.
Time Management Techniques - Answer1. Plan
2. Create a Task
3. Prioritize
4. Minimize paper handling
5. Use time effectively
6. Delegate
7. Use computer technology
,8. Avoid procrastination
Organization-wide strategic planning - AnswerIncludes:
- Collecting data and doing an external analysis of customer needs in relation to regulations and
demographics
- Analyzing internal services and functions
- Identifying and understanding key issues, including strengths and weaknesses of the organization,
potential opportunities, and negative impacts
- Developing revised mission and vision statements that identify core values
- Establishing specific goals and objectives, based on findings
External customers - AnswerA person who is outside the organization and someone who usually pays
for the service i.e patients
Internal Customers - AnswerThe people (i.e., employees) who work cooperatively together to
achieve business goals i.e physicians, nurses, accreditation agencies, community agencies, insurance
companies, suppliers
Voice of the Customer (VOC) - AnswerCapturing information from the consumer regarding their
experience with a product or service. Using data to determine customer requirements
Voice of the Customer (VOC) components - Answer1. Customer Needs
2. Hierarchical Structure
3. Priorities
4. Customer perception of perform-ace
Leadership vs. Management - AnswerLeadership inspires; management ensures tasks are done.
Vision Statement - AnswerCommitment the organization is making to its stakeholders.
Describes organization's goals for the future, instead of focusing on what has been already achieved
Mission Statement - AnswerReflects the current status of the organization describes the purpose of
the organization and its role in the community.
, Core Values - AnswerDefines organization's attitudes and guiding principles.
Goals - AnswerBroad statements specifying desired outcomes.
SMART Goals - Answer1. Specific
2. Measurable
3. Attainable
4. Relevant
5. Time-bound
Objectives - AnswerSpecific, measurable actions to achieve goals.
Analysis of Processes - AnswerPurpose for an analysis process is to develop a clear profile of the
organization current level of performance, stability of current process, areas of needed
improvement, strategies for improving process, and consistency of design and priorities.
Internal comparison - AnswerReviews patterns and trends, sentinel events , upper and lower control
limits
External comparison - AnswerReference base of manner in which others perform similar processes
and their outcomes
Standard comparison - AnswerCompares internal data with knowledge-based practice guidelines and
regulations.
Benchmark comparison - AnswerWhich can be internal vs external, and compares data with
benchmark or best practice data.
Value = Quality of Service + Outcome / Cost - Answer
Prioritization Matrix - AnswerDetermines which items take precedence.
