What is the primary purpose of a process inventory?

• A. To count stock
• B. To standardize billing codes
• C. To identify and record processes
• D. To measure patient outcomes

Answer: (C)

A process inventory catalogs and records the processes used within a healthcare organization. Its purpose is to identify what processes exist, who owns them, and how they flow from start to finish, including the steps, inputs, outputs, and interdependencies. Having this inventory creates a baseline that enables analysis, standardization, and improvement across the enterprise, helps reveal gaps or duplications, and supports governance and policy alignment. Counting stock, by contrast, refers to physical items rather than processes; standardizing billing codes focuses on coding systems rather than process maps; and measuring patient outcomes targets results rather than documenting the process landscape.