Page 56 - ractice Exam Questions and rationales

D. PAP smear results

Your response:
psychiatric treatment
Correct response:
psychiatric treatment
Rationale: A HIPAA-covered health care provider or health plan may share protected health
information if it has a court order. However, the provider or plan may only disclose the
information specifically described in the order to protect the privacy of health information. A
HIPAA-covered provider or plan may disclose information to a party issuing a subpoena only if
the notification requirements of the Privacy Rule are met. Before responding to the subpoena,
the provider or plan should receive evidence that there were reasonable efforts to: 1. Notify the
person who is the subject of the information about the request, so the person has a chance to
object to the disclosure, or 2. Seek a qualified protective order for the information from the
court. However, there are many exceptions to this rule, such as disclosures for treatment,
payment and healthcare operations, reporting certain types of injuries to law enforcement,
disclosing information pursuant to a subpoena issued by a “judicial officer,” and reporting abuse
and neglect to an appropriate government agency. State laws also give legal protection to
privileged information obtained through a provider-patient relationship (e.g. the traditional
physician-patient privilege, counselor-client privilege), and to confidential information obtained
by providers whose primary purpose is to provide services for the care, treatment, and
rehabilitation of the mentally ill, developmentally disabled or substance abusers.
Which of the following pieces of equipment should the medical assistant anticipate using when
taking a patient’s blood pressure?

A. sphygmomanometer

B. otoscope

C. speculum

D. pulse oximeter

Your response:
sphygmomanometer
Correct response:
sphygmomanometer
Rationale: A sphygmomanometer is used to auscultate and measure blood pressure readings. An
otoscope is used to examine the ear, a speculum is used to examine body cavities, and a pulse
oximeter is used to see what a person’s oxygen saturation is in the body.
A personal check is returned to the medical office due to nonsufficient funds for an established
patient recently placed on hospice care services. Which of the following actions should the
medical assistant take?

A. Increase the patient’s account balance due by the same amount of the returned check plus