AHIMA CCA EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
1. A 65-year-old white male was admitted to the hospital on 1/15 complaining of
abdominal pain. The attending physician requested an upper GI series and laboratory
evaluation of CBC and UA. The x-ray revealed possible cholelithiasis, and the UA
showed an increased white blood cell count. The patient was taken to surgery for an
exploratory laparoscopy, and a ruptured appendix was discovered. The chief
complaint was:
A. Ruptured appendix
B. Exploratory laparoscopy
C. Abdominal pain
D. Cholelithiasis
Correct Answer-C. Abdominal pain
The nature and duration of the symptoms that caused the patient to seek medical
attention as stated in the patient's own words (Odom-Wesley et al. 2009, 331).
2. An individual stole and used another person's insurance information to obtain
medical care. This action would be considered:
A. Violation of bioethics
B. Fraud and abuse
C. Medical identity theft
D. Abuse
Correct Answer: C.
medical identity theft occurs when someone uses a person's name and
sometimes other parts of their identity without the victim's knowledge or
consent to obtain medical services or goods (Johns 2011, 773).
3. Identify the ICD-9-CM diagnostic code(s) for acute osteomyelitis of ankle due to
Staphylococcus.
, A. 730.06
B. 730.07
C. 730.07, 041.1
D. 730.07, 041.10
Correct Answer: D
Index Osteomyelitis, acute or subacute. Refer to the table in the Index for the
fifth digit 5, ankle and foot. Infection, staphylococcal NEC (Schraffenberger
2012, 305-306).
4. A system that provides alerts and reminders to clinicians is a(n):
A. Clinical decision support system
B. Electronic data interchange
C. Point of care charting system
D. Knowledge database
Correct Answer: A
Clinical decision support includes providing documentation of clinical
findings and procedures, active reminders about medication administration,
suggestions for prescribing less expensive but equally effective drugs,
protocols for certain health maintenance procedures, alerts that a duplicate lab
test is being ordered, and countless other decision-making aids for all
stakeholders in the care process (Johns 2011, 138).
5. What does an audit trail check for?
A. Unauthorized access to a system
B. Loss of data
C. Presence of a virus
D. Successful completion of a backup
Correct Answer: A
, Audit trails can provide tracking information such as who accessed which
records and for what purpose (Johns 2011, 403).
6. This is a condition with an imprecise diagnosis with various characteristics. The
condition may be diagnosed when a patient presents with sinus arrest, sinoatrial exit
block, or persistent sinus bradycardia. This syndrome is often the result of drug
therapy, such as digitalis, calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers, sympatholytic
agents, or antiarrhythmics. Another presentation includes recurrent supraventricular
tachycardias associated with bradyarrhythmia. Prolonged ambulatory monitoring may
be indicated to establish a diagnosis of this condition. Treatment includes insertion of
a permanent cardiac pacemaker.
A. Atrial fibrillation (427.31)
B. Atrial flutter (427.32)
C. Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (427.0)
D. Sick sinus syndrome (SSS) (427.81)
Correct Answer: D
SSS is the imprecise diagnosis with various characteristics treated with the
insertion of a permanent cardiac pacemaker. The other three conditions are treated
with cardioversion and different pharmacological therapy (Schraffenberger 2012,
194-195).
7. Identify the ICD-9-CM diagnostic code for primary localized osteoarthrosis of the
hip.
A. 715.95
B. 715.15
C. 721.90
D. 715.16
Correct Answer: B
Index Osteoarthrosis, localized, primary. For category 715, refer to the table for
the fifth digit of 5 for pelvic region and thigh (Schraffenberger 2012, 303-304).
, 8. A health record with deficiencies that is not complete within the timeframe specified
in the medical staff rules and regulations is called a(n):
A. Suspended record
B. Delinquent record
C. Pending record
D. Illegal record -
Correct Answer: B
An incomplete record not rectified within a specific number of days as indicated
in the medical staff rules and regulations is considered to be delinquent (Johns
2011, 412).
9. A hospital HIM department wants to purchase an electronic system that records the
location of health records removed from the filing system and documents the date of
their return to the HIM department. Which of the following electronic systems would
fulfill this purpose?
A. Chart deficiency system
B. Chart tracking system
C. Chart abstracting system
D. Chart encoder
Correct Answer: B
With an automated tracking system, it is easy to track how many records are charged
out of the system, their location, and whether they have been returned on the due
dates indicated (Johns 2011, 402).
10. Identify the appropriate ICD-9-CM diagnosis code for Lou Gehrig's disease.
A. 335.20
B. 334.8
C. 335.29
D. 335.2
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
1. A 65-year-old white male was admitted to the hospital on 1/15 complaining of
abdominal pain. The attending physician requested an upper GI series and laboratory
evaluation of CBC and UA. The x-ray revealed possible cholelithiasis, and the UA
showed an increased white blood cell count. The patient was taken to surgery for an
exploratory laparoscopy, and a ruptured appendix was discovered. The chief
complaint was:
A. Ruptured appendix
B. Exploratory laparoscopy
C. Abdominal pain
D. Cholelithiasis
Correct Answer-C. Abdominal pain
The nature and duration of the symptoms that caused the patient to seek medical
attention as stated in the patient's own words (Odom-Wesley et al. 2009, 331).
2. An individual stole and used another person's insurance information to obtain
medical care. This action would be considered:
A. Violation of bioethics
B. Fraud and abuse
C. Medical identity theft
D. Abuse
Correct Answer: C.
medical identity theft occurs when someone uses a person's name and
sometimes other parts of their identity without the victim's knowledge or
consent to obtain medical services or goods (Johns 2011, 773).
3. Identify the ICD-9-CM diagnostic code(s) for acute osteomyelitis of ankle due to
Staphylococcus.
, A. 730.06
B. 730.07
C. 730.07, 041.1
D. 730.07, 041.10
Correct Answer: D
Index Osteomyelitis, acute or subacute. Refer to the table in the Index for the
fifth digit 5, ankle and foot. Infection, staphylococcal NEC (Schraffenberger
2012, 305-306).
4. A system that provides alerts and reminders to clinicians is a(n):
A. Clinical decision support system
B. Electronic data interchange
C. Point of care charting system
D. Knowledge database
Correct Answer: A
Clinical decision support includes providing documentation of clinical
findings and procedures, active reminders about medication administration,
suggestions for prescribing less expensive but equally effective drugs,
protocols for certain health maintenance procedures, alerts that a duplicate lab
test is being ordered, and countless other decision-making aids for all
stakeholders in the care process (Johns 2011, 138).
5. What does an audit trail check for?
A. Unauthorized access to a system
B. Loss of data
C. Presence of a virus
D. Successful completion of a backup
Correct Answer: A
, Audit trails can provide tracking information such as who accessed which
records and for what purpose (Johns 2011, 403).
6. This is a condition with an imprecise diagnosis with various characteristics. The
condition may be diagnosed when a patient presents with sinus arrest, sinoatrial exit
block, or persistent sinus bradycardia. This syndrome is often the result of drug
therapy, such as digitalis, calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers, sympatholytic
agents, or antiarrhythmics. Another presentation includes recurrent supraventricular
tachycardias associated with bradyarrhythmia. Prolonged ambulatory monitoring may
be indicated to establish a diagnosis of this condition. Treatment includes insertion of
a permanent cardiac pacemaker.
A. Atrial fibrillation (427.31)
B. Atrial flutter (427.32)
C. Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (427.0)
D. Sick sinus syndrome (SSS) (427.81)
Correct Answer: D
SSS is the imprecise diagnosis with various characteristics treated with the
insertion of a permanent cardiac pacemaker. The other three conditions are treated
with cardioversion and different pharmacological therapy (Schraffenberger 2012,
194-195).
7. Identify the ICD-9-CM diagnostic code for primary localized osteoarthrosis of the
hip.
A. 715.95
B. 715.15
C. 721.90
D. 715.16
Correct Answer: B
Index Osteoarthrosis, localized, primary. For category 715, refer to the table for
the fifth digit of 5 for pelvic region and thigh (Schraffenberger 2012, 303-304).
, 8. A health record with deficiencies that is not complete within the timeframe specified
in the medical staff rules and regulations is called a(n):
A. Suspended record
B. Delinquent record
C. Pending record
D. Illegal record -
Correct Answer: B
An incomplete record not rectified within a specific number of days as indicated
in the medical staff rules and regulations is considered to be delinquent (Johns
2011, 412).
9. A hospital HIM department wants to purchase an electronic system that records the
location of health records removed from the filing system and documents the date of
their return to the HIM department. Which of the following electronic systems would
fulfill this purpose?
A. Chart deficiency system
B. Chart tracking system
C. Chart abstracting system
D. Chart encoder
Correct Answer: B
With an automated tracking system, it is easy to track how many records are charged
out of the system, their location, and whether they have been returned on the due
dates indicated (Johns 2011, 402).
10. Identify the appropriate ICD-9-CM diagnosis code for Lou Gehrig's disease.
A. 335.20
B. 334.8
C. 335.29
D. 335.2
