As a regular part of her job, Mahala has to keep track of patient wait time. She creates a sign-in sheet that asks patients to include the time of their arrival and the time of their appointment. When a patient is called in, she adds the time they are seen by the doctor. Since Mahala cannot possibly work all 7 days a week that the clinic is open, several of her colleagues are responsible for entering this information. When Mahala meets with the data analyst for her division, he is upset and claims that her unit is wasting his time. There are variations in the data that do not make sense. Monday through Friday, patient wait times are on average \( 30-45 \) minutes shorter than on the weekends, when there are fewer patients. Mahala thinks about his concerns and talks to her colleagues. She discovers that they mark the wait time over when the doctor arrives to the examination room and not when the patient leaves the waiting room. This accounts for the variations in measurement. Mahala's team committed which of the following errors? measurement validity measurement reliability diagnostic error interrater error

In this scenario, Mahala's team committed a **measurement validity** error. Here's the reasoning: 1. **Measurement Validity**: This refers to whether the data collected accurately represents what it is intended to measure. In this case, the wait time is supposed to measure the time patients spend waiting before they see the doctor. However, her colleagues are measuring the time from when the doctor arrives in the examination room instead of when the patient leaves the waiting room. This means the data does not accurately reflect the true wait time for patients, leading to the discrepancies observed. 2. **Measurement Reliability**: This refers to the consistency of a measure. While there may be inconsistencies in how the wait time is recorded, the primary issue here is not about consistency but about the accuracy of what is being measured. 3. **Diagnostic Error**: This typically refers to errors in diagnosing a condition or issue, which is not applicable in this context. 4. **Interrater Error**: This refers to differences in measurements or assessments made by different observers or raters. While there may be some variation among colleagues, the main issue is the incorrect definition of what constitutes "wait time." Thus, the correct answer is **measurement validity**.