CPHQ
CPHQ Content: The Seven Domains and Their Questions
The seven CPHQ exam domains with scored questions per domain out of 125, the split of recall, application and analysis questions, and the references the handbook suggests.
- Next test
- 15 March – 12 April 2027 Add the date to your calendar
- Questions and time
- 140 questions: 125 scored and 15 unscored pretest questions · 3 hours
- Pass mark
- 600 on a 200 to 800 scale
- Exam fee
- USD 799 for non-members of NAHQ, USD 559 for members and USD 400 for premium members (candidates outside the United States)
Start with 10 free questions to find what needs more work. No sign-up, with answer explanations.
Try 10 free questions and see your levelPut what you just read into practice
Start with 10 free questions to find what needs more work. No sign-up, with answer explanations.
Try 10 free questions and see your levelLast verified: 1 November 2026. Our sources are the 2026 CPHQ International Candidate Handbook and the CPHQ Detailed Content Outline from NAHQ. Fees and windows can change, so check the NAHQ website before you apply. This guide comes from an independent website, not connected to NAHQ, HQCC, PSI or any government body.
In short: 140 questions in 3 hours, of which 125 count. Performance and process improvement (27) and health data analytics (26) together are 42% of your score.
The seven domains
| # | Domain | Scored questions | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quality Leadership and Integration | 19 | Strategic planning, quality governance, culture of quality and safety, stakeholder engagement |
| 2 | Performance and Process Improvement | 27 | PDSA, Lean and Six Sigma, quality tools such as the fishbone diagram and FMEA, improvement teams and change management |
| 3 | Population Health and Care Transitions | 11 | Population health data, prevention, health equity, social determinants, care transitions |
| 4 | Health Data Analytics | 26 | Measure development, sampling, dashboards, statistics, control charts, benchmarking |
| 5 | Patient Safety | 18 | Safety culture, human factors, high reliability, incident reporting, root cause analysis, proactive risk assessment |
| 6 | Quality Review and Accountability | 16 | Clinical guidelines, quality-based payment, documentation, practitioner evaluation, patient experience, confidentiality |
| 7 | Regulatory and Accreditation | 8 | Accreditation options, survey readiness, regulatory compliance |
Each exam form also has 15 unscored pretest questions spread through the exam. You cannot tell which ones they are, so answer every question.
What kind of questions
- About 23% recall: you need to know a definition or a fact.
- About 57% application: a work situation where you choose the right tool, measure or next step.
- About 20% analysis: you interpret data or weigh several factors.
The questions are written for someone with about two years in a healthcare quality role. The regulations and payment programs are American (for example The Joint Commission and CMS), because the credential is American.
References the handbook suggests
- HQ Solutions: Resource for the Healthcare Quality Professional, 4th edition
- The Janet A. Brown Healthcare Quality Handbook
- The Quality Toolbox (Tague) and The Memory Jogger 2 (Brassard)
- Measuring Quality Improvement in Healthcare (Carey and Lloyd)
- Understanding Patient Safety (Wachter and Gupta)
- The IHI, AHRQ and ISMP websites
The handbook also warns that buying, sharing or using materials that claim to contain real exam questions can lead to losing your eligibility or your credential. Every question on this site is a practice question written for the content outline.
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Start with 10 free questions to find your weakest units. Keep practising with the full question bank and mock exams from SAR 26.