CPHQ
Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ)
You need 600 on the 200–800 scale to earn the CPHQ, and the worldwide pass rate in 2024 was 53%. We've handpicked 741 questions covering most topics on the latest syllabus, to help you push for a top score before test day!
Try 10 free questions and see your levelTake a full mock exam
- 741 questions in the bank
- 140 questions in 180 min per mock
- 87 flashcards
Every option explained so you understand why
If your exam were today, would you pass?
Try 10 free questions without signing up. Get your score and find your weak areas as soon as you finish.
A quality analyst finds the hospital's catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rate is double that of last year and plans to alert leadership. What should the analyst do FIRST?
All 10 free questions with answers and an explanation for every option
What you get
- 741questions in the bankPractise with the answer shown right away, or sit a full timed mock
- 7unitsSplit by the exam syllabus
- 87flashcardsTo lock in terms and definitions
- 120quick review pointsEach unit in a few key lines
Unit map
- 01Quality Leadership and Integration21 questions
- 02Performance and Process Improvement30 questions
- 03Population Health and Care Transitions13 questions
- 04Health Data Analytics29 questions
- 05Patient Safety20 questions
- 06Quality Review and Accountability18 questions
- 07Regulatory and Accreditation9 questions
Exam facts
Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) — Number of questions: 140 questions: 125 scored and 15 unscored pretest questions. Exam time: 3 hours. Pass mark: 600 on a 200 to 800 scale. Calculator: On-screen calculator. Exam fee: USD 799 for non-members of NAHQ, USD 559 for members and USD 400 for premium members (candidates outside the United States). Next test: 15 March – 12 April 2027. Source: National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) and the Healthcare Quality Certification Commission (HQCC) (Last verified: 2026-11-01). Question bank: full mock exams of 140 questions in 180 minutes, like the real test with a result for every unit, plus 741 explained questions across 7 units, every option explained, a review of your mistakes, and two ways to practise: see the answer right away, or sit a full timed mock. Free questions: a 10-question diagnostic test covering the main units, no sign-up; at the end you get your score and your weakest units.
- Exam code
- CPHQ
- Exam language
- English
- Number of questions
- 140 questions: 125 scored and 15 unscored pretest questions Source
- Exam time
- 3 hours Source
- Pass mark
- 600 on a 200 to 800 scale Source
- Calculator
- On-screen calculator Source
- Exam fee
- USD 799 for non-members of NAHQ, USD 559 for members and USD 400 for premium members (candidates outside the United States) Source
- Registration
- The next testing window is 15 March to 12 April 2027, with applications open until 11 March 2027. After that come 17 May to 21 June, 2 to 30 August and 1 to 30 November 2027 Source
- Results
- No result at the test center. PSI sends your unofficial score report within 3 to 5 weeks after the window closes, with your scaled score and your percentage correct in each of the seven domains Source
- Retakes
- You cannot test in two consecutive windows, so a candidate who fails in the first window applies for the third. After 3 failed attempts within 365 days, you wait 365 days. Every retake needs a new application and the full fee Source
- Validity
- Two years starting 1 January of the year after you pass, renewed by earning 30 continuing education hours over the two years Source
Last verified: 2026-11-01
Where other sources differ
- The official outline splits the 125 scored questions across seven domains: performance and process improvement 27, health data analytics 26, quality leadership and integration 19, patient safety 18, quality review and accountability 16, population health and care transitions 11, and regulatory and accreditation 8.
- About 23% of questions test recall, 57% application and 20% analysis, so most of the exam is practical scenarios where you apply a concept.
- The regulations, accreditation and payment programs on the exam are American (such as The Joint Commission and CMS), because the credential is American. PSI test centers are available outside the United States, and you can also test online.
How to register
- There are no formal eligibility requirements, but the exam is written for someone with about two years of experience in healthcare quality.
- Apply and pay by credit card on the NAHQ website during the application period for the testing window you want.
- After payment you are eligible only for the testing window you applied for; extensions are allowed only in specific cases.
- Book with PSI at a test center or online with a live remote proctor; you can reschedule within the window as long as it is at least 48 hours ahead.
- On test day, bring two valid IDs, one with a photo, such as a passport. Arriving more than 15 minutes late forfeits the exam and the fee.
Exam body
National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) and the Healthcare Quality Certification Commission (HQCC): Official website: National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) and the Healthcare Quality Certification Commission (HQCC)
Study guides
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the CPHQ exam and how long is it?
140 multiple-choice questions with four options in 3 hours: 125 scored and 15 unscored pretest questions you cannot identify. You can bookmark and return to questions, and there is no penalty for guessing. The full mock exam on this site has 140 questions with the same domain weights.
Can I try CPHQ questions for free?
Yes. Free questions: a 10-question diagnostic test covering the main units, no sign-up; at the end you get your score and your weakest units. The free practice test page lists the same questions with answers and an explanation for every option. The rest of the questions and the full mock exams come with a pass from SAR 26.
What makes this CPHQ question bank different?
Question bank: full mock exams of 140 questions in 180 minutes, like the real test with a result for every unit, plus 741 explained questions across 7 units, every option explained, a review of your mistakes, and two ways to practise: see the answer right away, or sit a full timed mock. Every question is reviewed and referenced, ready to practise on your phone. Try the free questions and read the explanations before buying full access.
What is the CPHQ pass mark?
The pass mark is 600 on a 200 to 800 scale, set by an expert panel with the Angoff method and equated across exam forms. It is a scaled score, not the percentage of correct answers. The worldwide pass rate in 2024 was 53%.
What language is the CPHQ exam in?
The exam is in English. So the questions here are in English as in the exam, every option is explained in Arabic and English, and you can switch any question to its Arabic translation.
How much is the CPHQ exam fee from Saudi Arabia?
Candidates outside the United States pay USD 799 as NAHQ non-members, USD 559 as members and USD 400 as premium members, according to the 2026 International Candidate Handbook. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Do I need to memorize American regulations?
The seventh domain (regulatory and accreditation) is only 8 of the 125 scored questions, and the quality review domain asks about quality-based payment programs. Knowing the role of major bodies such as The Joint Commission and CMS and the idea of each program is enough; most questions are scenarios applying quality tools, data and safety.
Is this the NAHQ website?
No. This is an independent practice website, not connected to NAHQ, HQCC, PSI or any government body. You apply for the exam on the NAHQ website.
Is this an official site, and how do I pay?
It is an independent site, not part of Qiyas or any government body, and every question is reviewed before it is published. You pay once, with no automatic renewal, through Waffo Pancake (the merchant of record) by Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay or Google Pay, and your statement shows "WAFFO". If you were charged twice or the pass did not open, email support@saudiexams.com.
Study material sample: Quality Leadership and Integration
Summary
This domain covers quality leadership and integration, one of the largest areas of the CPHQ exam: 19 scored items out of 125 on the real exam, which the full mock exam mirrors with 21 of 140 questions. It has two parts. The first is strategic planning and quality governance: advising leadership, setting priorities and action plans, supporting the governance structure, and aligning quality and safety work with strategic goals. The second is stakeholder engagement and a culture of quality and safety: identifying resource needs, assessing culture, engaging stakeholders, supporting the governing body in its roles, and building interprofessional teamwork. Questions are mostly scenarios that ask for the best next step for a quality professional.
What the exam focuses on
- The order of strategic planning: mission, vision and values, then strategic goals, then operational objectives, then action plans with an owner, a due date and a measure (task 1A5).
- The four perspectives of the balanced scorecard (Kaplan and Norton): financial, customer, internal process, and learning and growth.
- Setting priorities with an impact-effort matrix and with criteria such as risk to patients, size of the problem and feasibility (task 1A3).
Show 5 more
- The governing body's role in quality: ultimate accountability, approving the quality plan, reviewing measures regularly, and providing resources (task 1B4).
- The quality governance structure: the quality committee reports to the governing body and links to the safety, infection control and medical staff committees (task 1A4).
- Just Culture: human error is consoled, at-risk behavior is coached, and reckless behavior is disciplined (task 1B2).
- The five principles of high reliability organizations (Weick and Sutcliffe), the six IOM aims (STEEEP), and the Triple and Quadruple Aim.
- Stakeholder analysis with a power-interest grid, and teamwork tools such as TeamSTEPPS and SBAR (tasks 1B3 and 1B5).
Common traps
- Confusing vision with mission: the mission says why the organization exists and what it does today, and the vision describes what it wants to become.
- Confusing governance with executive management: the board sets direction, holds accountable and approves, while management carries out the plan. The quality professional advises and does not make board decisions.
- Choosing a solution before understanding the situation: in scenario questions the next step is usually to gather data, assess culture or identify stakeholders, not to train staff or write a new policy.
Show 5 more
- Confusing Just Culture with a blame-free culture: Just Culture still holds people accountable for reckless behavior while treating unintentional human error with support.
- Confusing the Triple and Quadruple Aim: the Quadruple adds care team well-being (reducing burnout) to patient experience, population health and per capita cost.
- Confusing Donabedian's categories with the IOM aims: structure, process and outcome are types of measures, while STEEEP is a set of six aims for quality of care.
- Relying on a single culture survey without discussing results: assessment combines the survey with interviews, observation and data such as incident reports, and results are fed back to the units.
- Engaging stakeholders only at the end: early engagement reduces resistance, and patients and families are stakeholders rather than only recipients.
Try the flashcards
Tap a card to see the answer
What is the difference between mission and vision?
The mission states why the organization exists and what it does today; the vision describes what it aspires to become.
What are the four perspectives of the balanced scorecard?
Financial, customer, internal process, and learning and growth.
What does SMART mean when writing objectives?
Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound.
Who is ultimately responsible for quality of care in an organization?
The governing body, which delegates execution to executive management.
What does STEEEP stand for?
The six IOM aims: safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, patient-centered.
What is the Triple Aim, and what does the Quadruple Aim add?
Improving the experience of care and population health while reducing per capita cost; the Quadruple Aim adds care team well-being.
What are the five principles of high reliability organizations?
Preoccupation with failure, reluctance to simplify, sensitivity to operations, commitment to resilience, deference to expertise.
How does Just Culture respond to each type of behavior?
Human error: console; at-risk behavior: coach; reckless behavior: discipline.
Why you can trust these questions
- Published questions: 741. We reviewed every one before publishing it: the answer, the explanation of each option and the source.
- Exam facts last checked against the organiser’s website: 2026-11-01. We check them again every three months and two weeks before each test.
- Found a mistake? Tap "Report an error" under any question in the practice area, or email us at support@saudiexams.com
- Independent website. Not affiliated with ETEC (Qiyas), the Financial Academy or any government body.
Update log
- 2026-11-01 Published the exam facts from the 2026 International Candidate Handbook (version 2026.8) and the CPHQ Detailed Content Outline.