Testing applications in healthcare.
The healthcare industry is becoming increasingly dependent on IT systems. This is causing increasing legislation and regulation. Testing of healthcare applications is becoming increasingly important. But how do you organize a good testing process?
Testing is becoming increasingly important
Providing care without IT systems is unthinkable today. At the same time, our dependence on IT systems such as HIS, EHR or ECD carries increasing risks. How foolproof are healthcare applications and how high is the risk of errors? A good testing process is becoming increasingly important to reduce risks and the chance of disruptions. In addition, the demonstrability of proper execution of the testing process is at least as important. Consider audits, audits and certifications.
Privacy and security healthcare systems
Security and privacy are topics of increasing importance. The healthcare industry is subject to strict laws and regulations regarding data protection, patient rights and medical ethics. IT departments must make every effort to comply with these regulations and ensure compliance.
This seems like an open door but, unfortunately, it still happens that health data goes out on the street. This can be human error, data breaches in systems or malicious hackers. IT departments within healthcare organizations must continually work to strengthen the security of systems, networks and devices to prevent data leaks and theft.
A good testing process allows you to identify vulnerabilities in healthcare applications and links. With the right testing tooling, you capture defects and build an audit trail. Think about the ISO and NEN certifications you need to meet as a healthcare organization.
Good interoperability for data exchange
Good interoperability between healthcare systems of different healthcare organizations will become increasingly important in the coming years. In the healthcare sector, different systems such as HIS, EHR, ECD and other applications often do not work well together. Sharing data between hospitals, clinics and other healthcare organizations can therefore become difficult. IT departments should focus on promoting interoperability and creating standardized exchange protocols in the coming years.
A good example of this is the situation in the Belgian healthcare market. Virtually unannounced, the Belgian government imposed on healthcare organizations to switch from the HL7 standard to the FHIR standard. The new FHIR standard is important for improving data exchange between healthcare organizations in Belgium.
The transition to such a standard has quite a big impact on the IT departments of healthcare organizations. It brings with it risks and an increased chance of errors. A solid testing process here is going to be the key to a successful transition.
Increasing connectivity and mobility in healthcare
The demand for connectivity and mobility is expected to increase. Healthcare providers need access to patient data from different locations and devices. IT departments need to ensure secure mobile access so that healthcare providers can work smoothly without compromising privacy and security.
In addition, the healthcare industry uses a wide range of technologies, such as telemedicine, wearables and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. IT departments must seamlessly integrate these technologies into existing systems and ensure that they comply with regulations and standards.
Obviously, proper testing is extremely important here as well. The network is expanding and the potential for errors and risks is increasing. In addition, users will also pose a risk when it comes to protecting personal data. How are you going to test that?
As a healthcare company, how can I prove that testing was done properly?
With new releases of business applications, management and the board will expect that proper testing is done and can be demonstrated. External audits of the change process must also demonstrate that testing has been done properly. This often even requires insight into who approved and released what to production.
When you use Testersuite it takes no time at all to deliver the desired reports and demonstrate that testing has been done properly. This is because the test progress and test coverage is automatically recorded per application component and/or requirement.
Would you like to provide all stakeholders with the right information without it costing you time? Then a solid test tool is indispensable.