Canadian Health Information Management Association Practice Exam 2025 - Free CHIMA Practice Questions and Study Guide

The main advantage of centralized filing is increased accessibility to all information. Centralized filing systems consolidate records into one location, allowing authorized personnel easier access to the complete dataset. This is particularly beneficial in healthcare settings where timely access to patient information can impact clinical decisions and treatment. By having a single repository for records, staff can quickly obtain essential data without navigating through multiple storage locations.

In contrast, while consistency in filing efficiencies can be a benefit, it is the ease of access that stands out as the primary advantage of centralized systems. Maintenance costs may be lowered in some instances, but this can depend on various factors such as the volume of records and technology used. As for the reduction in time to locate missing records, while centralized systems can streamline access, the challenge of missing records may still exist even within a centralized framework. Therefore, the key takeaway is that increased accessibility fundamentally enhances the usability of information stored within a centralized filing system.