Canadian Health Information Management Association Practice Exam

An integrated record is sorted primarily by:

1. date.

2. problem number.

3. provider.

4. none of the above.

The correct answer is: date.

An integrated record is sorted primarily by date because this method promotes a chronological view of the patient's health information. This allows healthcare providers to track the progression of a patient's health over time, making it easier to identify trends, significant changes, or prior interventions. Organizing records in this way facilitates better continuity of care and fosters communication among providers who may be involved in a patient’s ongoing treatment. While sorting by problem number or provider might be useful in specific contexts or for particular inquiries, such approaches do not encapsulate the comprehensive overview of the patient's history that a date-sorted integrated record provides. By focusing on the timeline of events and interventions, an integrated record helps ensure that all healthcare professionals involved can make informed decisions based on the most current and complete information available.