Written to NHA's CCMA test plan
- Foundational Knowledge and Basic Science 10%
- Anatomy and Physiology 5.3%
- Clinical Patient Care 56%
- Patient Care Coordination and Education 8%
- Administrative Assisting 8%
- Communication and Customer Service 8%
- Medical Law and Ethics 4.7%
Free · 2026 · 8% of the NHA CCMA CCMA Patient Care Coordination and Education practice questions
Patient Care Coordination and Education is 8% of the NHA CCMA. Answer 10 questions (6 on Patient Care Coordination and Education) and see your score by domain, with every answer explained. Free, no sign-up.
A 79-year-old patient with early-stage dementia lives with his daughter, who works full-time during the day. He is walking and needs no skilled nursing care, but he should not be left alone and would benefit from meals and social activities. Which community resource best fits his needs?
Tap an answer, or press A to D
Chart prep, preventive screening schedules, patient education, referrals and follow-up.
What the NHA CCMA exam tests in Patient Care Coordination and Education
- Reviewing records before visits (chart prep) so preventive care and screenings are addressed and documented
- Preventive medicine, screening timelines and wellness tracking (mammogram, Pap, colonoscopy, immunizations); clinical quality measures
- Patient education methods and learning styles for in-person and virtual visits, incl. nutrition education and communicable disease prevention
- Care coordination: community and clinical resources (home health, adult day care, transportation), referrals and referral forms, transitions of care, team-based care (PCMH, ACO) and team roles
- Supporting adherence and follow-up; recognizing barriers to care (socioeconomic, cultural, language, education)
High-yield patient care coordination and education facts
- Chart prep (scrubbing) before each visit: flag overdue screenings and immunizations, outstanding labs and imaging, open referrals awaiting reports, missing forms, and care gaps tied to quality measures. Document screenings that were done elsewhere.
- Clinical quality measures (HEDIS, CMS/MIPS) count things like A1c poor control (over 9%), controlling high BP (under 140/90), breast, cervical and colorectal screening rates, tobacco screening and cessation, depression screening and follow-up, and immunization status.
- Education steps: first assess readiness, learning style (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, reading/writing), health literacy, language and barriers. Then teach in plain language, with written materials at about a 6th-grade level or below.
- Confirm understanding with teach-back (the patient explains it in their own words) or return demonstration (the patient self-injects insulin or uses an inhaler with spacer). Document what was taught and the patient's response.
- Virtual education: share your screen, send materials through the portal, use the camera for demonstrations, confirm the patient can access the technology.
- The MA reinforces the provider's plan (diet handouts, medication instructions); the MA does not create new advice. Nutrition education follows the provider's ordered diet. A referral to a registered dietitian is made on the provider's order.
| Screening | Who / how often |
|---|---|
| Blood pressure | adults 18+; yearly at 40+ or if at risk; every 3-5 y for ages 18-39 with normal BP |
| Colorectal cancer | ages 45-75: colonoscopy every 10 y, FIT yearly, stool DNA-FIT every 1-3 y, CT colonography or flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 y |
| Breast cancer | mammogram every 2 y, ages 40-74 |
| Cervical cancer | 21-29: Pap every 3 y. 30-65: Pap every 3 y, or high-risk HPV test every 5 y, or co-test every 5 y |
| Lung cancer | yearly low-dose CT, ages 50-80 with 20+ pack-years who smoke now or quit within 15 y |
| Osteoporosis | DEXA for women 65+ and younger postmenopausal women at risk |
| Abdominal aortic aneurysm | one-time ultrasound, men 65-75 who ever smoked |
| Prediabetes / type 2 DM | adults 35-70 with overweight or obesity |
The full CCMA High-Yield Cram Sheet comes with full prep.
Common patient care coordination and education traps
- Teach-back means the patient explains or demonstrates; the MA repeating the information does not count.
- Referral = provider's order to send the patient elsewhere; prior authorization = the payer's approval.
- The MA reinforces provider instructions and does not give new medical advice or change the plan.
- Closing the loop means tracking a referral until the consult report is received and reviewed.
- Assess barriers and learning needs before teaching.
- Colorectal screening now starts at 45; mammography every 2 years starts at 40.
- Use a professional interpreter, not family, for patient education.
Free CCMA patient care coordination and education practice questions
Question 1
During a video telehealth visit, the medical assistant is asked to reinforce metered-dose inhaler technique with a patient at home. Which approach is most effective?
- ADescribe each step aloud and ask whether the steps are clear
- BReschedule as an in-person visit, since skills cannot be taught by video
- CEmail written inhaler instructions after the visit ends
- DHave the patient demonstrate on camera while the MA watches and corrects
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. Video allows a live return demonstration, so the MA can observe technique and give immediate feedback.
Why not A: Verbal description with a yes/no check does not confirm that the patient performs the technique correctly.
Why not B: Many skills can be taught and checked by video. Rescheduling delays education without need.
Why not C: Written instructions can support teaching afterward, but they do not let the MA see or correct the patient's technique.
Remember: In virtual visits, use the camera for return demonstration so the patient's technique can be checked in real time.
Question 2
A patient's spouse is caring for the patient at home after a Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection. The spouse asks how to clean their hands after helping with toileting. What should the medical assistant teach?
- AWear gloves during care so hand cleaning afterward is unnecessary
- BWash hands with soap and running water, even after wearing gloves
- CUse an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
- DWipe hands with a disinfectant surface wipe after care
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. Soap, water and friction physically remove C. diff spores, and hand hygiene is still needed after glove removal.
Why not A: Gloves can tear or contaminate hands during removal. Hand hygiene is always required after taking gloves off.
Why not C: Alcohol-based sanitizers do not reliably kill C. diff spores, so they are not enough here.
Why not D: Surface disinfectant wipes are made for objects, not skin, and are not an approved hand hygiene method.
Remember: For spore-forming organisms like C. diff, teach soap-and-water handwashing, because alcohol sanitizer does not reliably kill the spores.
Question 3
After reviewing instructions for a new blood pressure medication, the medical assistant wants to confirm that the patient understood. Which statement best uses the teach-back method?
- A"Please sign this form saying you received the medication instructions."
- B"Do you have any questions before you leave today?"
- C"Do you understand everything I just told you about this medicine?"
- D"To be sure I explained it clearly, can you tell me in your own words how you'll take this medicine?"
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. Teach-back asks the patient to restate the information in their own words, which shows whether they understood.
Why not A: A signature documents that the patient received the instructions, not that they understood them.
Why not B: Inviting questions is good practice, but it does not check what the patient actually learned.
Why not C: A yes/no question often gets a polite "yes" even when the patient did not understand.
Remember: Teach-back means having the patient explain or show the information in their own words to confirm understanding.
Question 4
During intake, a patient with hypertension says she stopped taking her blood pressure medication 2 weeks ago. She ran out and cannot afford the refill until her next paycheck. Which response by the medical assistant is most appropriate?
- ATell the provider about the cost barrier and offer information on assistance resources
- BSuggest she take the medication every other day after refilling it, to stretch the supply
- CDocument her as noncompliant and remind her that the medication is important
- DAdvise her to go to the emergency department to get a supply of medication
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. The provider can consider lower-cost options. The MA can connect the patient with resources such as discount or assistance programs, or a social worker or care coordinator.
Why not B: Changing a dosing schedule is a prescribing decision outside the MA's scope. Doing so could lead to uncontrolled blood pressure.
Why not C: Labeling and lecturing do not address the real barrier, which is cost. The nonadherence will likely continue.
Why not D: The ED is not meant for routine refills and would cost far more. It also does nothing to solve the ongoing affordability problem.
Remember: When nonadherence stems from cost, report the barrier to the provider and link the patient to resources rather than judging or altering the regimen.
Question 5
A patient enrolled in an HMO plan that requires referrals needs to see an orthopedic specialist. The primary care provider has written the referral. What should the medical assistant do before the specialist visit takes place?
- AConfirm the plan approved the referral, then send it and records to the specialist
- BTell the patient that HMO plans do not cover specialist care
- CSchedule the specialist visit and submit the referral after it occurs
- DTell the patient to call the specialist and schedule the visit independently
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. The MA makes sure the referral is approved and sends it, with pertinent records, to the specialist before the appointment.
Why not B: HMOs do cover specialist care when the plan's referral requirements are met.
Why not C: A required referral or authorization must be in place before the visit. A late submission can lead to a denied claim.
Why not D: Self-referral in an HMO that requires referrals can leave the visit uncovered, and it skips care coordination.
Remember: For plans that require referrals, get approval and send the referral with pertinent records to the specialist before the visit.
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