Computerized diagnostic systems in healthcare combine software, algorithms and digital data to assist clinicians and pharmacists in detecting diseases, interpreting tests, and optimizing therapy. For B.Pharm students, understanding electronic health records (EHR), clinical decision support systems (CDSS), laboratory information systems (LIS), PACS, machine learning and diagnostic algorithms is essential for improving patient safety, medication management and pharmacovigilance. This introduction covers system components, data standards (HL7, DICOM), validation metrics (sensitivity, specificity), ethical and regulatory considerations, and practical pharmacy applications such as dosing support and drug-interaction alerts. Familiarity with these topics prepares pharmacists to collaborate in multidisciplinary teams and evaluate computerized tools critically. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.
Q1. Which component of a computerized diagnostic system stores and manages imaging studies like X-rays and CT scans?
- Laboratory Information System
- PACS
- Electronic Health Record
- Clinical Decision Support System
Correct Answer: PACS
Q2. What does CDSS primarily provide to healthcare professionals?
- Automated surgical procedures
- Clinical decision support such as alerts and recommendations
- Physical storage for medical devices
- Pharmacy inventory management only
Correct Answer: Clinical decision support such as alerts and recommendations
Q3. Which standard is most commonly used for exchanging clinical and administrative data between healthcare systems?
- DICOM
- HL7
- IEEE 802.11
- SNOMED CT
Correct Answer: HL7
Q4. In diagnostic test evaluation, what does ‘sensitivity’ measure?
- The proportion of true negatives correctly identified
- The proportion of positive test results among all tested
- The proportion of true positives correctly identified
- The overall accuracy of the test
Correct Answer: The proportion of true positives correctly identified
Q5. Which of the following is a common source of alerts in pharmacy-focused CDSS?
- Drug–drug interaction checks
- Weather forecasts
- Staff scheduling conflicts
- Printer ink levels
Correct Answer: Drug–drug interaction checks
Q6. What is a primary risk related to poorly designed diagnostic alerts in clinical systems?
- Increased battery life of devices
- Alert fatigue leading to ignored warnings
- Reduced laboratory throughput
- Higher pharmacy stocking levels
Correct Answer: Alert fatigue leading to ignored warnings
Q7. Which data format is standard for storing and transmitting medical images?
- HL7
- CSV
- DICOM
- JSON
Correct Answer: DICOM
Q8. What role can machine learning play in computerized diagnostic systems?
- Replacing all clinicians immediately
- Identifying complex patterns to support diagnosis
- Manufacturing pharmaceutical tablets
- Providing legal advice on malpractice
Correct Answer: Identifying complex patterns to support diagnosis
Q9. Which metric describes the trade-off between true positive rate and false positive rate in diagnostic models?
- Calibration curve
- ROC curve
- Precision-Recall curve only
- Confusion matrix only
Correct Answer: ROC curve
Q10. Which regulatory body in the United States often assesses software as a medical device (SaMD)?
- European Medicines Agency
- National Institutes of Health
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Correct Answer: Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Q11. Why is interoperability important for computerized diagnostic systems?
- To prevent any data sharing between systems
- To allow seamless exchange of patient data across platforms
- To limit system access to a single workstation
- To increase manufacturing costs
Correct Answer: To allow seamless exchange of patient data across platforms
Q12. Which of the following best describes a rule-based CDSS?
- A system that learns from data without human rules
- A system that applies predefined clinical rules to trigger actions
- A system that physically dispenses medication
- A system that only manages billing codes
Correct Answer: A system that applies predefined clinical rules to trigger actions
Q13. In pharmacovigilance, computerized diagnostic systems assist pharmacists mainly by:
- Predicting patient insurance premiums
- Detecting adverse drug reactions and signaling safety issues
- Automating pharmacy construction
- Scheduling patient appointments only
Correct Answer: Detecting adverse drug reactions and signaling safety issues
Q14. What is ‘false negative’ in the context of diagnostic systems?
- A test incorrectly indicating the presence of disease
- A test correctly indicating absence of disease
- A test incorrectly indicating absence of disease when disease is present
- A test showing indeterminate result only
Correct Answer: A test incorrectly indicating absence of disease when disease is present
Q15. Natural language processing (NLP) in healthcare is used to:
- Interpret and extract information from clinical notes and reports
- Physically package medications
- Encrypt network traffic only
- Manage hospital cafeterias
Correct Answer: Interpret and extract information from clinical notes and reports
Q16. Which practice helps reduce bias in machine learning diagnostic models?
- Training only on a single small dataset
- Using diverse, representative datasets for training and validation
- Ignoring validation and deploying immediately
- Removing all minority population data
Correct Answer: Using diverse, representative datasets for training and validation
Q17. What is ‘explainability’ in AI diagnostic systems?
- The system’s ability to physically explain results to patients
- The transparency of how the model arrives at its conclusions
- A measure of system uptime
- Number of alerts generated per day
Correct Answer: The transparency of how the model arrives at its conclusions
Q18. Which type of testing verifies that a diagnostic system performs correctly in the intended clinical environment?
- Unit testing only
- Clinical validation and real-world evaluation
- Alpha testing by marketing teams
- Peer review without users
Correct Answer: Clinical validation and real-world evaluation
Q19. How can computerized diagnostic systems support therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM)?
- By providing dosing recommendations based on levels and patient factors
- By sterilizing laboratory equipment
- By increasing pill size
- By scheduling entertainment for patients
Correct Answer: By providing dosing recommendations based on levels and patient factors
Q20. Which security concern is most relevant for computerized diagnostic systems handling patient data?
- Unauthorized access and data breaches
- Overheating of printers
- Patient dissatisfaction with clinic decor
- Excessive snack consumption
Correct Answer: Unauthorized access and data breaches
Q21. What is the role of HL7 FHIR in modern healthcare IT?
- To provide a framework for image compression
- To enable interoperable exchange of healthcare information via standardized APIs
- To regulate pharmaceutical pricing
- To control laboratory centrifuges remotely
Correct Answer: To enable interoperable exchange of healthcare information via standardized APIs
Q22. Which is an example of a continuous monitoring device that may feed data into diagnostic systems?
- Wearable glucose monitor
- Manual paper thermometer
- Static billboard advertisement
- Traditional printed drug label
Correct Answer: Wearable glucose monitor
Q23. In a confusion matrix, which cell corresponds to patients who are predicted positive and are actually positive?
- False negative
- True positive
- True negative
- False positive
Correct Answer: True positive
Q24. How does integration of EHR and CDSS improve pharmacy practice?
- By isolating pharmacy from clinical workflows
- By providing clinical context for medication decisions and alerts
- By eliminating the need for patient counseling
- By increasing paperwork for pharmacists
Correct Answer: By providing clinical context for medication decisions and alerts
Q25. What is a common objective measure for diagnostic test reliability over repeated measurements?
- Sensitivity
- Specificity
- Reproducibility or precision
- Market share
Correct Answer: Reproducibility or precision
Q26. Which ethical issue is particularly important when deploying AI diagnostic tools?
- Color of interface buttons
- Ensuring fairness and avoiding discrimination
- Choosing office plants
- Selecting cafeteria menu items
Correct Answer: Ensuring fairness and avoiding discrimination
Q27. What is the main advantage of using computerized diagnostic checklists in emergency care?
- They slow down decision making
- They standardize care and reduce omission errors
- They replace the need for trained staff
- They increase billing errors
Correct Answer: They standardize care and reduce omission errors
Q28. Which term describes the proportion of true negatives correctly identified by a diagnostic test?
- Sensitivity
- Precision
- Specificity
- Recall only
Correct Answer: Specificity
Q29. In the context of computerized diagnostics, validation against a gold standard helps to assess:
- How well the model predicts outcomes compared to the accepted reference
- The color printing fidelity of reports
- The number of users logged in per hour
- The expense of hardware only
Correct Answer: How well the model predicts outcomes compared to the accepted reference
Q30. What is a practical step pharmacists can take when encountering uncertain CDSS recommendations?
- Blindly follow the recommendation without review
- Ignore all system outputs permanently
- Verify with clinical evidence, consult colleagues, and consider patient specifics
- Uninstall the hospital network
Correct Answer: Verify with clinical evidence, consult colleagues, and consider patient specifics
I am a Registered Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, and the founder of PharmacyFreak.com. I hold a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Rungta College of Pharmaceutical Science and Research. With a strong academic foundation and practical knowledge, I am committed to providing accurate, easy-to-understand content to support pharmacy students and professionals. My aim is to make complex pharmaceutical concepts accessible and useful for real-world application.
Mail- Sachin@pharmacyfreak.com