An emergency department tracks patient's mean waiting time from arrival to physician assessment. Data is plotted using a run chart. Which of the following shows a true statistical increase in treatment delays?

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Eight consecutive ascending points indicate a statistically significant upward trend.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Performance improvement should avoid focusing on cost increases that burden customers.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Stratified sampling ensures that specific subgroups of the population are represented proportionally in the sample.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Measures of central tendency identify the center of a dataset.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: None of these options directly captures detailed patient/practitioner data.