Create a Medical Software Testing Strategy

Recently, we’ve seen that our healthcare system really needs an upgrade, especially after dealing with mass pandemics. Because of this, there’s been a growing demand for new apps in the healthcare space. These apps need to be top-notch because they play a huge role in how doctors connect with their patients and deliver good care. That’s where testers come in. They dive into the software, hunt down bugs (even the tiny ones), and suggest fixes. Thanks to these pros, we can build super reliable software that does what it’s supposed to do.

Create a test plan

To make testing as effective as possible, you need to develop a clear strategy. You should pay attention to the type of software being tested, compliance with standards (e.g. HIPAA in the US, GDPR in the EU), and complexity. It is worth saying that the strategies depend on the features of your software, what functions it should perform, and the financial capabilities of the client. Building a testing strategy involves going through several main stages.

1. Analysis of software requirements

First, you need to determine what requirements your software must meet. An experienced tester checks to see if they are clear, complete, and verifiable. Next, you need to assess the risks and create a plan to reduce them.

Next, you need to describe your test plan, which should include:

• Goals and types of testing;
• Schedule;
• What specialists need to be involved;
• What will be the share of test automation;
• Key metrics to track.

The first stage can take quite a lot of time because it is necessary to study in detail the features of your project and determine the goals and testing requirements.

2. Test design

Not only planners but also test engineers work on healthcare software testing strategy. They are responsible for the following:

• Selecting a test environment and defining test data;
• Development of test scripts and test cases;
• Determine the set of tools that need to be used;
• Write automation scripts (where possible);
• Setting up tools and frameworks.

The peculiarity of working with healthcare software is that it is necessary to use false data to prevent leakage of clients’ data.

3. Run tests and report

When the preparatory stage is completed, testers can begin actual testing. You run and maintain manual and automated test scripts. Next, you need to compile a report on the defects found and give recommendations to developers on how to eliminate them. After all changes have been made, it is necessary to retest to make sure that all changes were made correctly and did not lead to new errors.

Key types of testing that are used for healthcare software

Today there are a huge number of types of testing, but for healthcare software, the following types are most often used:

• Functional testing. The main purpose of this is to understand whether it can perform the functions for which it was created.
• Productivity. It is assumed that your software will be used by a large number of people and it must be able to cope with such a load and determine its resistance to stress.
• Security and compliance. Customers’ data must be kept safe, otherwise, it can lead to a huge number of problems. Also, if your software needs to comply with standards.
• Compatibility. You need to determine which operating systems your software is compatible with.

The choice of test types depends on the different features of the software and the stage of development. If you would like to learn more about the types of testing for specific medical applications that need to be tested before launching on the market, find information here – https://testfort.com/healthcare-software-testing.

What specialists are involved in testing healthcare software?

Testing is a fairly complex process that requires a large number of specialists to work on. The number of testers and quality assurance specialists involved depends on the specifics of your project budget. The following specialists are most often involved:

• QA manager (usually the services of such specialists are used provided that several teams of testers are working on the software). Helps develop a well-thought-out testing strategy, establishes interaction between different groups of testers, recruits staff, and much more.
• Test lead. Defines a list of tools and test environments that need to be used for testing; controls the work of testers and interacts with programmers and customers.
• Automation testing specialist. Performs automated tests and generates reports.
• Manual testing specialists. Perform manual tests and generate reports.
• Compliance Consultant. They check whether the software complies with the requirements and standards for healthcare software.
• Cybersecurity specialist. Performs vulnerability assessments and identifies potential security loopholes; advice on maintaining safety levels.

You can hire specialists on staff or outsource them. The second option helps to save money and attract highly qualified specialists. This solution has a huge number of advantages because it helps to optimize testing costs and uses a transparent approach to testing based on KPIs.