WGU D224 – Informatics for Healthcare
Exam Questions With Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales|
2026/2027 Q&A | Instant Download
Pdf.
1. Which statement best describes health informatics?
A. The use of financial accounting principles to manage healthcare
organizations
B. The study of human anatomy and physiology using computerized
models
C. The interdisciplinary use of information, technology, and data to
improve healthcare delivery and outcomes
D. The process of replacing healthcare professionals with artificial
intelligence
Rationale: Health informatics integrates healthcare, information
science, computer science, and data management to support clinical
decision-making, improve workflows, enhance patient safety, and
optimize health outcomes. It is not limited to technology or computer
systems alone.
2. A nurse reviews a patient's electronic health record (EHR) before
administering medication. Which informatics principle is most directly
demonstrated?
,A. Data destruction
B. Information use to support clinical decision-making
C. Healthcare reimbursement
D. Software development
Rationale: The EHR provides organized patient information that allows
clinicians to make informed decisions about medications, diagnoses,
allergies, laboratory results, and treatment plans. Informatics helps
transform raw data into usable information for clinical practice.
3. Which of the following represents data rather than information?
A. The patient has an elevated temperature consistent with fever.
B. The patient's temperature indicates a possible infection.
C. The patient's temperature increased from 37.0°C to 38.5°C over four
hours.
D. 38.5°C
Rationale: Data are raw facts or observations without interpretation.
The value 38.5°C is raw temperature data. When data are interpreted
and placed into context, they become information that can support
clinical knowledge and decision-making.
4. A healthcare organization wants to ensure that only authorized
employees can view patient records. Which security principle is being
addressed?
A. Availability
B. Integrity
,C. Confidentiality
D. Interoperability
Rationale: Confidentiality protects health information from
unauthorized access or disclosure. Integrity focuses on preventing
unauthorized alteration of information, while availability ensures
authorized users can access information when needed.
5. Which technology allows different healthcare information systems
to exchange and meaningfully use patient information?
A. Data encryption
B. Interoperability
C. Password authentication
D. Data compression
Rationale: Interoperability is the ability of different information systems,
applications, and devices to communicate, exchange data, and use the
exchanged information effectively. It is essential for coordinated care
across healthcare settings.
6. Which example best demonstrates the use of clinical decision
support (CDS)?
A. A hospital stores patient records electronically.
B. A nurse prints a patient's discharge instructions.
C. An EHR alerts a provider that a prescribed medication may interact
with another medication the patient is taking.
D. A patient receives an electronic billing statement.
, Rationale: Clinical decision support provides clinicians with patient-
specific information, alerts, reminders, or recommendations at
appropriate points in care. Medication interaction alerts are a common
CDS application designed to improve patient safety.
7. A nurse documents a patient's blood pressure directly into the EHR
immediately after obtaining the measurement. What is a major
advantage of this practice?
A. It eliminates the need for clinical judgment.
B. It guarantees that documentation errors cannot occur.
C. It improves the timeliness and accuracy of the patient's clinical
record.
D. It prevents other healthcare professionals from accessing the
information.
Rationale: Point-of-care documentation allows information to be
entered close to the time it is collected, reducing delays and
transcription errors. Although electronic documentation does not
eliminate all errors, it can improve data quality and availability.
8. Which terminology system is specifically designed to provide
standardized clinical terminology for healthcare concepts?
A. ZIP code
B. ICD-10-CM
C. SNOMED CT
D. JPEG
Exam Questions With Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales|
2026/2027 Q&A | Instant Download
Pdf.
1. Which statement best describes health informatics?
A. The use of financial accounting principles to manage healthcare
organizations
B. The study of human anatomy and physiology using computerized
models
C. The interdisciplinary use of information, technology, and data to
improve healthcare delivery and outcomes
D. The process of replacing healthcare professionals with artificial
intelligence
Rationale: Health informatics integrates healthcare, information
science, computer science, and data management to support clinical
decision-making, improve workflows, enhance patient safety, and
optimize health outcomes. It is not limited to technology or computer
systems alone.
2. A nurse reviews a patient's electronic health record (EHR) before
administering medication. Which informatics principle is most directly
demonstrated?
,A. Data destruction
B. Information use to support clinical decision-making
C. Healthcare reimbursement
D. Software development
Rationale: The EHR provides organized patient information that allows
clinicians to make informed decisions about medications, diagnoses,
allergies, laboratory results, and treatment plans. Informatics helps
transform raw data into usable information for clinical practice.
3. Which of the following represents data rather than information?
A. The patient has an elevated temperature consistent with fever.
B. The patient's temperature indicates a possible infection.
C. The patient's temperature increased from 37.0°C to 38.5°C over four
hours.
D. 38.5°C
Rationale: Data are raw facts or observations without interpretation.
The value 38.5°C is raw temperature data. When data are interpreted
and placed into context, they become information that can support
clinical knowledge and decision-making.
4. A healthcare organization wants to ensure that only authorized
employees can view patient records. Which security principle is being
addressed?
A. Availability
B. Integrity
,C. Confidentiality
D. Interoperability
Rationale: Confidentiality protects health information from
unauthorized access or disclosure. Integrity focuses on preventing
unauthorized alteration of information, while availability ensures
authorized users can access information when needed.
5. Which technology allows different healthcare information systems
to exchange and meaningfully use patient information?
A. Data encryption
B. Interoperability
C. Password authentication
D. Data compression
Rationale: Interoperability is the ability of different information systems,
applications, and devices to communicate, exchange data, and use the
exchanged information effectively. It is essential for coordinated care
across healthcare settings.
6. Which example best demonstrates the use of clinical decision
support (CDS)?
A. A hospital stores patient records electronically.
B. A nurse prints a patient's discharge instructions.
C. An EHR alerts a provider that a prescribed medication may interact
with another medication the patient is taking.
D. A patient receives an electronic billing statement.
, Rationale: Clinical decision support provides clinicians with patient-
specific information, alerts, reminders, or recommendations at
appropriate points in care. Medication interaction alerts are a common
CDS application designed to improve patient safety.
7. A nurse documents a patient's blood pressure directly into the EHR
immediately after obtaining the measurement. What is a major
advantage of this practice?
A. It eliminates the need for clinical judgment.
B. It guarantees that documentation errors cannot occur.
C. It improves the timeliness and accuracy of the patient's clinical
record.
D. It prevents other healthcare professionals from accessing the
information.
Rationale: Point-of-care documentation allows information to be
entered close to the time it is collected, reducing delays and
transcription errors. Although electronic documentation does not
eliminate all errors, it can improve data quality and availability.
8. Which terminology system is specifically designed to provide
standardized clinical terminology for healthcare concepts?
A. ZIP code
B. ICD-10-CM
C. SNOMED CT
D. JPEG
