Canadian Health Information Management Association Practice Exam

A contingency plan is primarily designed to prepare an organization for unexpected events that could disrupt normal operations. It outlines procedures and strategies for responding to a variety of potential risks and crises, ensuring that there are predefined responses to limit the impact of these situations. In the context of risk assessment, a contingency plan is a proactive measure that aims to identify potential risks and develop strategies to mitigate those risks. This ensures that when unforeseen events occur, the organization can quickly and effectively respond, minimizing damage and maintaining essential functions. By focusing on risk assessment, the organization can evaluate which emergencies are most likely to occur and develop actionable steps to address them, thus enhancing overall resilience. The other options relate to specific areas within organizational health information management but do not encapsulate the overall purpose of a contingency plan. For instance, preventing security breaches may be part of the risk management strategy, but it does not encompass the broader preparedness addressed by contingency planning. Similarly, audit controls and privacy assessments are specific compliance and governance efforts that are essential, but they do not serve the same all-encompassing purpose that a contingency plan does.