Alabama Certified Health Information
Technician Practice Exam 2026/2027 –
Complete Exam-Style Questions with Correct
Answers & Detailed Rationales | Verified &
Reliable
1.
A health information department discovers that two patients
with similar names have been assigned the same medical
record number. Which information-management process
should be addressed first?
A. Record retention
B. Release-of-information auditing
C. Master Patient Index integrity
D. Clinical documentation improvement
Rationale: The Master Patient Index (MPI) is the foundational
directory used to uniquely identify patients and link their
records. Duplicate or conflicting identifiers can result in
overlays, incorrect documentation, patient-safety events, and
erroneous billing. Correcting the MPI problem takes priority
before downstream records are merged or released.
,2.
A physician documents a diagnosis in an electronic health
record but later discovers that the diagnosis was entered in
error. What is the most appropriate method for correcting the
electronic documentation?
A. Delete the original entry and replace it
B. Ask the IT department to overwrite the entry
C. Create a new record without referencing the original
D. Make a properly authenticated correction that preserves
the original information and audit trail
Rationale: An EHR correction must preserve the integrity of
the original documentation and maintain an audit trail
showing what was changed, when, and by whom. Deleting or
overwriting the original entry compromises record integrity
and can create compliance and legal concerns.
3.
Under HIPAA, an individual requests access to PHI maintained
by a covered entity. What is generally the outer limit for
responding to the request?
,A. 10 calendar days
B. 15 calendar days
C. 30 calendar days, with one permitted extension of up to 30
additional days when requirements are met
D. 60 calendar days with no notification requirement
Rationale: HIPAA generally requires action on an individual's
access request within 30 calendar days. If the covered entity
cannot meet that deadline, it may take one additional 30-day
extension if it provides the required written notice within the
initial period.
4.
Which item is most appropriately considered part of a
designated record set when maintained by or for a covered
entity?
A. Personnel records of healthcare employees
B. Peer-review information protected from disclosure under
applicable law
C. Medical records used to make decisions about an
individual's care
D. Quality-improvement information that is maintained solely
as a patient-safety work product
, Rationale: A designated record set generally includes medical,
billing, payment, enrollment, claims, and other records used
by or for the covered entity to make decisions about
individuals. Certain categories, such as employment records
and specified quality or peer-review materials, are excluded.
5.
A hospital wants to measure whether documentation
completion is improving after a physician education program.
Which measure is most appropriate?
A. Number of employees in the HIM department
B. Number of medical records stored electronically
C. Percentage of records meeting the organization's
documentation-completion standard
D. Total number of patients discharged
Rationale: A percentage of records meeting a defined
completion standard directly measures the outcome of the
documentation initiative. The other measures describe
organizational volume or structure rather than whether
documentation completion improved.
6.
Technician Practice Exam 2026/2027 –
Complete Exam-Style Questions with Correct
Answers & Detailed Rationales | Verified &
Reliable
1.
A health information department discovers that two patients
with similar names have been assigned the same medical
record number. Which information-management process
should be addressed first?
A. Record retention
B. Release-of-information auditing
C. Master Patient Index integrity
D. Clinical documentation improvement
Rationale: The Master Patient Index (MPI) is the foundational
directory used to uniquely identify patients and link their
records. Duplicate or conflicting identifiers can result in
overlays, incorrect documentation, patient-safety events, and
erroneous billing. Correcting the MPI problem takes priority
before downstream records are merged or released.
,2.
A physician documents a diagnosis in an electronic health
record but later discovers that the diagnosis was entered in
error. What is the most appropriate method for correcting the
electronic documentation?
A. Delete the original entry and replace it
B. Ask the IT department to overwrite the entry
C. Create a new record without referencing the original
D. Make a properly authenticated correction that preserves
the original information and audit trail
Rationale: An EHR correction must preserve the integrity of
the original documentation and maintain an audit trail
showing what was changed, when, and by whom. Deleting or
overwriting the original entry compromises record integrity
and can create compliance and legal concerns.
3.
Under HIPAA, an individual requests access to PHI maintained
by a covered entity. What is generally the outer limit for
responding to the request?
,A. 10 calendar days
B. 15 calendar days
C. 30 calendar days, with one permitted extension of up to 30
additional days when requirements are met
D. 60 calendar days with no notification requirement
Rationale: HIPAA generally requires action on an individual's
access request within 30 calendar days. If the covered entity
cannot meet that deadline, it may take one additional 30-day
extension if it provides the required written notice within the
initial period.
4.
Which item is most appropriately considered part of a
designated record set when maintained by or for a covered
entity?
A. Personnel records of healthcare employees
B. Peer-review information protected from disclosure under
applicable law
C. Medical records used to make decisions about an
individual's care
D. Quality-improvement information that is maintained solely
as a patient-safety work product
, Rationale: A designated record set generally includes medical,
billing, payment, enrollment, claims, and other records used
by or for the covered entity to make decisions about
individuals. Certain categories, such as employment records
and specified quality or peer-review materials, are excluded.
5.
A hospital wants to measure whether documentation
completion is improving after a physician education program.
Which measure is most appropriate?
A. Number of employees in the HIM department
B. Number of medical records stored electronically
C. Percentage of records meeting the organization's
documentation-completion standard
D. Total number of patients discharged
Rationale: A percentage of records meeting a defined
completion standard directly measures the outcome of the
documentation initiative. The other measures describe
organizational volume or structure rather than whether
documentation completion improved.
6.
