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Exam Review

Key Facts: CHDA Exam

142

Exam Questions

AHIMA CHDA exam page

3.5 hrs

Exam Time

AHIMA CHDA exam page

300

Minimum Passing Score

AHIMA examination procedures

$259-$329

Exam Fee

AHIMA (member/non-member)

54%

Pass Rate

AHIMA data

22-25%

Analysis Domain Weight

CHDA content outline

The AHIMA CHDA examination tests health data analysts on data analytics (descriptive, predictive, prescriptive), data governance (quality, HIPAA, stewardship), clinical data standards (ICD-10, SNOMED, HL7/FHIR), statistical methods (hypothesis testing, regression, model evaluation), and reporting/visualization (dashboards, quality measures, CMS programs). The exam has 142 questions (121 scored) and a 3.5-hour appointment.

Sample CHDA Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the CHDA exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 131+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1What is the primary purpose of healthcare data analytics?

A.To replace clinical judgment entirely

B.To transform raw healthcare data into actionable insights for improving quality, outcomes, and efficiency

C.To eliminate the need for electronic health records

D.To reduce the number of healthcare providers

Explanation: Healthcare data analytics transforms raw data from multiple sources (EHRs, claims, registries) into actionable insights that inform clinical decision-making, quality improvement, population health management, and operational efficiency. Analytics supports evidence-based practice without replacing clinical judgment.

2Which type of analytics answers the question 'What happened?'

A.Predictive analytics

B.Descriptive analytics

C.Prescriptive analytics

D.Cognitive analytics

Explanation: Descriptive analytics examines historical data to answer 'What happened?' through summarization, aggregation, and visualization of past events. Examples include dashboards showing readmission rates, average length of stay trends, and case mix index reports. It is the foundation upon which predictive and prescriptive analytics are built.

3What does data governance encompass in a healthcare organization?

A.Only data storage and backup procedures

B.The framework of policies, procedures, standards, and accountability structures that ensure data quality, security, integrity, and appropriate use

C.Only HIPAA compliance

D.Only database administration

Explanation: Data governance is a comprehensive framework that includes policies, procedures, standards, roles, and accountability structures governing how healthcare data is collected, stored, maintained, used, and shared. It ensures data quality, security, integrity, privacy, and compliance while enabling appropriate data use for analytics and decision-making.

4Which statistical measure is calculated as the sum of all values divided by the number of observations?

A.Standard deviation

B.Mean (average)

C.Range

D.Variance

Explanation: The mean (arithmetic average) is calculated by summing all values and dividing by the number of observations. In healthcare analytics, the mean summarizes metrics like average length of stay, average cost per case, and mean readmission rates. It is a measure of central tendency but can be heavily influenced by outliers in skewed distributions.

5What is a data dictionary in the context of healthcare data management?

A.A thesaurus of medical terminology

B.A comprehensive catalog documenting data elements, their definitions, formats, allowable values, sources, and relationships

C.A patient directory

D.A database backup log

Explanation: A data dictionary (or metadata repository) is a reference document that describes each data element in a dataset, including its name, definition, data type, format, allowable values, source system, business rules, and relationships to other elements. It ensures consistent interpretation and use of data across an organization and is essential for data governance.

6What is the difference between structured and unstructured data in healthcare?

A.There is no meaningful difference

B.Structured data follows a predefined format (coded fields, numbers) while unstructured data includes free-text notes, images, and audio without a fixed schema

C.Structured data is only found in paper records

D.Unstructured data is always more accurate

Explanation: Structured data follows a predefined format and resides in relational database fields (e.g., ICD codes, lab values, demographics). Unstructured data lacks a fixed schema and includes clinical notes, radiology reports, discharge summaries, images, and audio recordings. Approximately 80% of healthcare data is unstructured, requiring natural language processing (NLP) for analytics extraction.

7Which visualization type is most appropriate for showing trends over time?

A.Pie chart

B.Line chart

C.Bar chart

D.Scatter plot

Explanation: Line charts are the most appropriate visualization for displaying trends over time (time series data). They show how a metric changes across sequential time periods, making it easy to identify patterns, seasonal variations, and long-term trends. Examples include monthly readmission rates, infection rate trends, and patient volume over quarters.

8What is the purpose of a p-value in statistical hypothesis testing?

A.It measures the size of the effect

B.It represents the probability of observing results as extreme as the data if the null hypothesis is true

C.It determines the sample size needed

D.It measures data quality

Explanation: The p-value represents the probability of obtaining results at least as extreme as the observed data, assuming the null hypothesis is true. A p-value less than the significance level (typically 0.05) leads to rejection of the null hypothesis. However, p-values do not measure effect size or clinical significance, and should be interpreted alongside confidence intervals and effect sizes.

9What is an Enterprise Master Patient Index (EMPI)?

A.A list of all physicians in an organization

B.A system that maintains a single, consistent identifier for each patient across all systems and facilities in an enterprise

C.A coding system for diagnoses

D.A financial reporting tool

Explanation: An Enterprise Master Patient Index (EMPI) is a database that maintains a unique identifier for each patient across multiple clinical and administrative systems within a healthcare enterprise. It links patient records from disparate systems using matching algorithms to create a unified patient view, which is essential for accurate analytics, care coordination, and preventing duplicate records.

10Which predictive modeling technique uses labeled training data to classify outcomes into predefined categories?

A.Unsupervised clustering

B.Supervised classification (e.g., logistic regression, decision trees, random forests)

C.Principal component analysis

D.Market basket analysis

Explanation: Supervised classification uses labeled training data (with known outcomes) to build models that predict categorical outcomes. In healthcare, examples include predicting readmission (yes/no), sepsis risk (high/low), and mortality risk classification. Common algorithms include logistic regression, decision trees, random forests, and support vector machines.

About the CHDA Exam

The AHIMA CHDA exam certifies health data analysts in healthcare data analytics, data governance, statistical methods, clinical data interpretation, and reporting. Passing earns the CHDA credential for analytics professionals.

Exam sponsor: AHIMA / Pearson VUE. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Questions

142 questions

Time Limit

3 hours 30 minutes

Passing Score

300

Exam / Certification Fees

$259-$329

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: 54%. 2025 first-time test takers (AHIMA) This describes exam candidates, not OpenExamPrep users or results from using our resources. Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

14-16%

Foundational Knowledge of Analytics in Healthcare

Healthcare delivery settings, revenue cycle, clinical classifications, health informatics, and AI applications

11-15%

Business Needs Assessment

Stakeholder requirements, defining metrics, KPIs, and analytics project planning

14-18%

Data Acquisition

Data sourcing, lineage, SQL extraction, data cleansing, transformation, and validation

22-25%

Data Analysis

Exploratory data analysis, statistics, hypothesis testing, regression, risk adjustment, and epidemiology

18-22%

Data Interpretation and Reporting

Data visualization, SPC control charts, dashboards, CMS quality programs, and narrative analytics

8-10%

Data Governance

Enterprise data governance, data stewardship, EMPI management, metadata, and HIPAA compliance

Preparing for the CHDA Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 300
Exam length: 142 questions
Time limit: 3 hours 30 minutes
Exam / certification fees: $259-$329 Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

Work through all 131 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
Track weak areas and revisit them
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

CHDA: Suggested Study Strategy

1Focus heavily on data analysis and statistics — it represents the largest exam domain at 22-25%

2Master data governance concepts including HIPAA de-identification (Safe Harbor 18 identifiers and Expert Determination)

3Study clinical data standards: know the difference between ICD-10, SNOMED CT, LOINC, and HL7/FHIR

4Review statistical methods: understand when to use t-tests, ANOVA, chi-square, regression, and survival analysis

5Practice interpreting healthcare data visualizations, SPC control chart rules, and funnel plots

6Study CMS quality programs (HVBP, HRRP, HAC) and their financial/analytics implications

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the CHDA exam?

The CHDA exam contains 142 multiple-choice questions: 121 scored items and 21 pretest items. AHIMA lists a 3 hour 30 minute appointment, including a 5-minute agreement and 3 hours 25 minutes of exam time.

What score do I need to pass the CHDA exam?

AHIMA reports 300 as the minimum passing score for the CHDA exam.

What is the CHDA exam fee?

The CHDA exam fee is $259 for AHIMA members and $329 for non-members.

What topics are covered on the CHDA exam?

The CHDA exam covers foundational analytics (14-16%), business needs assessment (11-15%), data acquisition (14-18%), data analysis (22-25%), data interpretation & reporting (18-22%), and data governance (8-10%).

How should I prepare for the CHDA exam?

Focus on data analysis and statistics (largest domain), master data governance and HIPAA de-identification rules, study clinical data standards (ICD-10, SNOMED, LOINC, FHIR), and practice interpreting SPC control charts and CMS quality program analytics. Use timed practice sets to build exam stamina.

What career does CHDA certification lead to?

The CHDA credential qualifies you for roles as a health data analyst, clinical data analyst, healthcare analytics manager, population health analyst, or quality improvement analyst in hospitals, health systems, and payer organizations.

Free Practice Questions for CHDA

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