WGU C985 HEALTH CARE ANALYTICS – COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS | VERIFIED AND WELLDETAILED ANSWERS | DETAILED EXPLANATIONS AND
RATIONALES | COMPLETE EXAM PREPARATION STUDY GUIDE | PRACTICE QUESTIONS |
LATEST EXAM UPDATE
* CORE DOMAINS
• Healthcare data sources, databases, and data management
• Descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics
• Research methods and evidence-based decision-making
• Statistical analysis and interpretation
• Healthcare quality, performance, and patient outcomes
• Organizational and operational analytics
• Community and population health analytics
• Ethics, privacy, data governance, and professional responsibilities
• Data visualization, forecasting, and interpretation
• Healthcare decision-making and applied analytical methods
* INTRODUCTION
This comprehensive assessment is designed to strengthen understanding of healthcare
analytics and its application to organizational, clinical, and population-health decision-
making. The questions assess foundational terminology, research methods, healthcare data
sources, databases, statistical techniques, analytical approaches, quality measures,
forecasting, and interpretation of findings. Multiple-choice questions require both knowledge
and application, with scenario-based items emphasizing appropriate analytical decisions.
Understanding why an answer is correct is essential because healthcare analytics involves
more than calculating statistics; it requires evaluating data quality, recognizing limitations,
interpreting evidence, and translating findings into responsible decisions that can improve
healthcare processes, outcomes, efficiency, and population health.
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
Question 1. Which statement best describes healthcare analytics?
A. The process of storing all patient information in an electronic health record
B. The systematic examination of healthcare data to generate insights for decision-making
C. The process of replacing healthcare professionals with automated systems
D. The process of converting all clinical information into financial data
Correct Answer: B. The systematic examination of healthcare data to generate insights for
decision-making
Explanation: Healthcare analytics involves examining and interpreting healthcare data to
identify patterns, support decisions, improve outcomes, and evaluate performance. It
encompasses descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive approaches.
,Question 2. Which type of analytics primarily answers the question, “What happened?”
A. Prescriptive analytics
B. Predictive analytics
C. Descriptive analytics
D. Diagnostic analytics
Correct Answer: C. Descriptive analytics
Explanation: Descriptive analytics summarizes historical or existing data to explain what has
occurred. Examples include monthly admission rates, average length of stay, and historical
readmission percentages.
Question 3. Which type of analytics focuses on estimating what is likely to happen in the
future?
A. Predictive analytics
B. Descriptive analytics
C. Qualitative analytics
D. Administrative analytics
Correct Answer: A. Predictive analytics
Explanation: Predictive analytics uses historical data, statistical methods, and mathematical
models to estimate the probability of future events or outcomes.
Question 4. A hospital uses a model to determine which discharged patients are most
likely to be readmitted within 30 days. Which analytical approach is being used?
A. Descriptive analytics
B. Predictive analytics
C. Prescriptive analytics
D. Exploratory documentation
Correct Answer: B. Predictive analytics
Explanation: The hospital is estimating a future event—30-day readmission—using available
patient information. This is a classic application of predictive analytics.
Question 5. Which type of analytics is primarily concerned with recommending an action
based on available evidence?
A. Prescriptive analytics
B. Descriptive analytics
C. Historical analytics
D. Comparative documentation
Correct Answer: A. Prescriptive analytics
, Explanation: Prescriptive analytics goes beyond predicting an outcome by helping determine
what action should be taken to achieve a desired result or respond to a predicted event.
Question 6. What is a database?
A. A paper-based collection of patient charts
B. A structured collection of electronically stored data that can be accessed and managed
C. A statistical test used to compare groups
D. A graphical representation of healthcare outcomes
Correct Answer: B. A structured collection of electronically stored data that can be
accessed and managed
Explanation: A database organizes data so it can be stored, retrieved, updated, queried, and
analyzed efficiently.
Question 7. What is a primary advantage of a well-designed healthcare database?
A. It eliminates the need for data validation
B. It prevents all healthcare errors
C. It supports consistent storage, retrieval, and analysis of information
D. It guarantees that all collected information is accurate
Correct Answer: C. It supports consistent storage, retrieval, and analysis of information
Explanation: A well-designed database facilitates organized data management and efficient
analysis. It does not automatically guarantee accuracy or eliminate errors.
Question 8. Which database structure stores information primarily in a single table?
A. Multidimensional database
B. Flat-file database
C. Object-oriented database
D. Relational database
Correct Answer: B. Flat-file database
Explanation: A flat-file database stores information in one table or file. This structure can be
simple but may become inefficient when managing complex or interconnected information.
Question 9. A healthcare organization wants to analyze information organized across
multiple related tables. Which database structure is most appropriate?
A. Relational database
B. Flat-file database
C. Narrative database
D. Unstructured database
Correct Answer: A. Relational database
AND ANSWERS | VERIFIED AND WELLDETAILED ANSWERS | DETAILED EXPLANATIONS AND
RATIONALES | COMPLETE EXAM PREPARATION STUDY GUIDE | PRACTICE QUESTIONS |
LATEST EXAM UPDATE
* CORE DOMAINS
• Healthcare data sources, databases, and data management
• Descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics
• Research methods and evidence-based decision-making
• Statistical analysis and interpretation
• Healthcare quality, performance, and patient outcomes
• Organizational and operational analytics
• Community and population health analytics
• Ethics, privacy, data governance, and professional responsibilities
• Data visualization, forecasting, and interpretation
• Healthcare decision-making and applied analytical methods
* INTRODUCTION
This comprehensive assessment is designed to strengthen understanding of healthcare
analytics and its application to organizational, clinical, and population-health decision-
making. The questions assess foundational terminology, research methods, healthcare data
sources, databases, statistical techniques, analytical approaches, quality measures,
forecasting, and interpretation of findings. Multiple-choice questions require both knowledge
and application, with scenario-based items emphasizing appropriate analytical decisions.
Understanding why an answer is correct is essential because healthcare analytics involves
more than calculating statistics; it requires evaluating data quality, recognizing limitations,
interpreting evidence, and translating findings into responsible decisions that can improve
healthcare processes, outcomes, efficiency, and population health.
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
Question 1. Which statement best describes healthcare analytics?
A. The process of storing all patient information in an electronic health record
B. The systematic examination of healthcare data to generate insights for decision-making
C. The process of replacing healthcare professionals with automated systems
D. The process of converting all clinical information into financial data
Correct Answer: B. The systematic examination of healthcare data to generate insights for
decision-making
Explanation: Healthcare analytics involves examining and interpreting healthcare data to
identify patterns, support decisions, improve outcomes, and evaluate performance. It
encompasses descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive approaches.
,Question 2. Which type of analytics primarily answers the question, “What happened?”
A. Prescriptive analytics
B. Predictive analytics
C. Descriptive analytics
D. Diagnostic analytics
Correct Answer: C. Descriptive analytics
Explanation: Descriptive analytics summarizes historical or existing data to explain what has
occurred. Examples include monthly admission rates, average length of stay, and historical
readmission percentages.
Question 3. Which type of analytics focuses on estimating what is likely to happen in the
future?
A. Predictive analytics
B. Descriptive analytics
C. Qualitative analytics
D. Administrative analytics
Correct Answer: A. Predictive analytics
Explanation: Predictive analytics uses historical data, statistical methods, and mathematical
models to estimate the probability of future events or outcomes.
Question 4. A hospital uses a model to determine which discharged patients are most
likely to be readmitted within 30 days. Which analytical approach is being used?
A. Descriptive analytics
B. Predictive analytics
C. Prescriptive analytics
D. Exploratory documentation
Correct Answer: B. Predictive analytics
Explanation: The hospital is estimating a future event—30-day readmission—using available
patient information. This is a classic application of predictive analytics.
Question 5. Which type of analytics is primarily concerned with recommending an action
based on available evidence?
A. Prescriptive analytics
B. Descriptive analytics
C. Historical analytics
D. Comparative documentation
Correct Answer: A. Prescriptive analytics
, Explanation: Prescriptive analytics goes beyond predicting an outcome by helping determine
what action should be taken to achieve a desired result or respond to a predicted event.
Question 6. What is a database?
A. A paper-based collection of patient charts
B. A structured collection of electronically stored data that can be accessed and managed
C. A statistical test used to compare groups
D. A graphical representation of healthcare outcomes
Correct Answer: B. A structured collection of electronically stored data that can be
accessed and managed
Explanation: A database organizes data so it can be stored, retrieved, updated, queried, and
analyzed efficiently.
Question 7. What is a primary advantage of a well-designed healthcare database?
A. It eliminates the need for data validation
B. It prevents all healthcare errors
C. It supports consistent storage, retrieval, and analysis of information
D. It guarantees that all collected information is accurate
Correct Answer: C. It supports consistent storage, retrieval, and analysis of information
Explanation: A well-designed database facilitates organized data management and efficient
analysis. It does not automatically guarantee accuracy or eliminate errors.
Question 8. Which database structure stores information primarily in a single table?
A. Multidimensional database
B. Flat-file database
C. Object-oriented database
D. Relational database
Correct Answer: B. Flat-file database
Explanation: A flat-file database stores information in one table or file. This structure can be
simple but may become inefficient when managing complex or interconnected information.
Question 9. A healthcare organization wants to analyze information organized across
multiple related tables. Which database structure is most appropriate?
A. Relational database
B. Flat-file database
C. Narrative database
D. Unstructured database
Correct Answer: A. Relational database
