ACHE BOARD OF GOVERNORS
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM STUDY GUIDE
WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
●● Governance and Organizational Structure
Answer: Explains board responsibilities (CEO selection, budget
approval), governance models (managerial, resource-based), medical
staff oversight (credentialing, privileging), and organizational structures
(functional, matrix, service-line).
●● Human Resources
Answer: Includes recruitment, labor law (FMLA, ADA), performance
reviews, compensation models, DEI, conflict resolution, retention, and
succession planning.
●● Financial Management
Answer: Details income statements, balance sheets, financial ratios,
reimbursement models (DRGs, APCs, VBP), budgeting types, and the
HFMA Code of Ethics.
●● Information Technology and Systems
Answer: Covers HIS, EHR, cybersecurity, HIPAA, HITECH, data
governance, analytics (descriptive, predictive), project lifecycles, and
tech adoption.
,●● Quality and Performance Improvement
Answer: Explains Lean, Six Sigma, PDSA, CQI, risk management
(RCA, FMEA), clinical pathways, population health, benchmarking
(HCAHPS, NPS), and PI councils.
●● Laws and Regulations
Answer: Includes Stark Law, EMTALA, Anti-Kickback, False Claims
Act, IRBs, informed consent, HIPAA, HITECH, ADA, and accreditation
(TJC, CMS).
●● Professionalism and Ethics
Answer: Covers ACHE Code of Ethics, Belmont Report, COI
prevention, diversity/inclusion, research ethics, organizational values,
and leadership integrity.
●● Marketing and Communications
Answer: Explains the 4 Ps, service line promotion, community outreach,
internal communication, crisis comms, branding, and PR strategy.
●● Business and Operations
Answer: Includes Lean ops, throughput, capacity planning, project
management, supply chain logistics, JIT, space planning, and emergency
preparedness.
,●● SWOT
Answer: A strategic planning tool used to identify strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats.
●● DRGs
Answer: Diagnosis-Related Groups, a system to classify hospital cases
into groups for payment purposes.
●● APCs
Answer: Ambulatory Payment Classifications, a system for outpatient
services reimbursement.
●● VBP
Answer: Value-Based Purchasing, a strategy to improve healthcare
quality by linking payment to performance.
●● FMLA
Answer: Family and Medical Leave Act, a labor law requiring
employers to provide employees with job-protected and unpaid leave for
qualified medical and family reasons.
●● ADA
, Answer: Americans with Disabilities Act, a civil rights law that prohibits
discrimination based on disability.
●● RCA
Answer: Root Cause Analysis, a method of problem-solving used for
identifying the root causes of faults or problems.
●● FMEA
Answer: Failure Mode and Effects Analysis, a systematic method for
evaluating processes to identify where and how they might fail.
●● HCAHPS
Answer: Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and
Systems, a standardized survey of patient perspectives on hospital care.
●● NPS
Answer: Net Promoter Score, a metric used to gauge the loyalty of a
firm's customer relationships.
●● LEAN
Answer: A systematic method for waste minimization within a
manufacturing system without sacrificing productivity.
●● Six Sigma
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM STUDY GUIDE
WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
●● Governance and Organizational Structure
Answer: Explains board responsibilities (CEO selection, budget
approval), governance models (managerial, resource-based), medical
staff oversight (credentialing, privileging), and organizational structures
(functional, matrix, service-line).
●● Human Resources
Answer: Includes recruitment, labor law (FMLA, ADA), performance
reviews, compensation models, DEI, conflict resolution, retention, and
succession planning.
●● Financial Management
Answer: Details income statements, balance sheets, financial ratios,
reimbursement models (DRGs, APCs, VBP), budgeting types, and the
HFMA Code of Ethics.
●● Information Technology and Systems
Answer: Covers HIS, EHR, cybersecurity, HIPAA, HITECH, data
governance, analytics (descriptive, predictive), project lifecycles, and
tech adoption.
,●● Quality and Performance Improvement
Answer: Explains Lean, Six Sigma, PDSA, CQI, risk management
(RCA, FMEA), clinical pathways, population health, benchmarking
(HCAHPS, NPS), and PI councils.
●● Laws and Regulations
Answer: Includes Stark Law, EMTALA, Anti-Kickback, False Claims
Act, IRBs, informed consent, HIPAA, HITECH, ADA, and accreditation
(TJC, CMS).
●● Professionalism and Ethics
Answer: Covers ACHE Code of Ethics, Belmont Report, COI
prevention, diversity/inclusion, research ethics, organizational values,
and leadership integrity.
●● Marketing and Communications
Answer: Explains the 4 Ps, service line promotion, community outreach,
internal communication, crisis comms, branding, and PR strategy.
●● Business and Operations
Answer: Includes Lean ops, throughput, capacity planning, project
management, supply chain logistics, JIT, space planning, and emergency
preparedness.
,●● SWOT
Answer: A strategic planning tool used to identify strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats.
●● DRGs
Answer: Diagnosis-Related Groups, a system to classify hospital cases
into groups for payment purposes.
●● APCs
Answer: Ambulatory Payment Classifications, a system for outpatient
services reimbursement.
●● VBP
Answer: Value-Based Purchasing, a strategy to improve healthcare
quality by linking payment to performance.
●● FMLA
Answer: Family and Medical Leave Act, a labor law requiring
employers to provide employees with job-protected and unpaid leave for
qualified medical and family reasons.
●● ADA
, Answer: Americans with Disabilities Act, a civil rights law that prohibits
discrimination based on disability.
●● RCA
Answer: Root Cause Analysis, a method of problem-solving used for
identifying the root causes of faults or problems.
●● FMEA
Answer: Failure Mode and Effects Analysis, a systematic method for
evaluating processes to identify where and how they might fail.
●● HCAHPS
Answer: Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and
Systems, a standardized survey of patient perspectives on hospital care.
●● NPS
Answer: Net Promoter Score, a metric used to gauge the loyalty of a
firm's customer relationships.
●● LEAN
Answer: A systematic method for waste minimization within a
manufacturing system without sacrificing productivity.
●● Six Sigma
