Mometrix Media LLC CPHQ Exam Secrets Study Guide: CPHQ Test Review for the Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality Exam

Bad source for CPHQ Test, not enough

I work with a group of hospitals and am leading a study group for the CPHQ exam. I took the exam 15 years ago, so I’m a little rusty on the details! We ordered the NAHQ ‘Q Solutions’ book for the group but I needed something more like a ‘cliff notes’ directly related to the exam contents to help the group. This book is perfect for my needs and I’ll recommend that the participants purchase this book also.

The practice exam provided by the makers of the test provide the best examples of the kind of questions asked. This book is great at providing a great summary of what you need to learn. However, on how to apply the content, you'll want to think it through on your own or get other reinforcement data. YouTube may be a good alternative for this. I used the online course the test makers created as well as this book. 1 day of studying with each for about 15 hours each day. Again, the material provided by the test makers was good at understanding how they ask the exam questions, and the book is a great summary of the information they expect you to know to answer the questions that they ask.

This is an excellent introduction to all the basic themes and concepts tested by the CPHQ exam. However, being new to the field, I definitely found it to be insufficient, too concise. I needed to research the concepts presented in this guide further. I used it as a foundation for my studies and greatly expanded my knowledge and understanding of the material by researching it further on line and through various less expensive resources. If you are willing to do this, it is definitely a more economical way to go than to pay for the "official" preparation books offered by NAHQ. Additionally, some concepts definitely require examples or visual illustrations, such as different kinds of charts. If you are new to those, the guide will not allow you to fully understand them. Finally, I would say that the sample test in the back of the study guide is not very useful. I felt that the questions on the actual exam differed substantially in how they were designed. I found the practice test available for purchase on the NAHQ web site much more helpful. I passed the test on the first try. Good luck in your studies and on the test!

Update: Although I purchased the book in 2018, I did not take the exam until December 2020. Result: I PASSED! I found the questions in the book were harder than the exam. But this was a good thing. I can truly say I learned more than just being able to get a question answered correctly. I learned the content. The in-depth rationale provided for the practice exams were helpful for me because I always want to know the 'why' behind something. I studied for one-month (started right after Thanksgiving). Also, take advantage of the free online test questions provided.