Testing is necessary for the developed medical application to function smoothly and efficiently. In addition to quality, testing protects users’ confidential information vigorously and ensures compliance with healthcare requirements. But testing for medical applications is different from examining other software products.
Consider bottlenecks in testing
Medical applications differ in that they contain the personal data of users and various medical information. Therefore, such applications are more vulnerable. Let us give examples of the main weak points of medical applications.
Violation of HIPPA guidelines
HIPAA is compliance legislation for specific requirements of healthcare organizations, including the security and confidentiality of the exchange of personal information related to health insurance.
For the developed application to comply with the HIPAA requirements, developers need to check the following points:
- Availability of roles. It would be best if you were sure that the user has access only to the personal information.
- Reliable identification of the person. It is essential to ensure users are safe and secure when registering and verifying their identity.
- Data encryption. All confidential information must be securely encrypted, so it is necessary to verify that the keys are stored correctly.
- Providing automatic backup. HIPAA requirements do not provide for this, but manual copying is laborious. Therefore, consider when the autosave will occur, for example, after a certain period or after adjusting the data.
It is recommended that you fulfill these conditions so that later you avoid a failed check and a ban on the implementation of the application. Do not avoid also using AI for software testing to find non-obvious bugs.
Interface
The user interface should be as convenient and clear to use. Efficiency and speed of work significantly affect user demand. It is necessary to determine the evaluation program, including the main criteria for determining the comfort of using a medical application.
Then it would help if you had usability testing to determine how long users need to perform certain functions. It allows you to identify factors that impede the quick and convenient use of the developed products.
Compatibility with medical systems
A vital testing stage is to ensure compatibility with health system software: medical records programs, hospital management and medical practice, and various other programs. This compatibility will provide the most convenient use for users. But there is a difficulty, which lies in the fact that each medical organization uses an individual format for entering and storing information. Therefore, ensure the created application is free to integrate with other medical programs and systems.
Wearable compatibility
Recently, wearable devices have gained popularity, increasing user demand. The created application will be in great need if it functions (interacts) seamlessly with wearable devices. But there may be problems that the application cannot track the wearable device, or, if it finds it, connects or connects, it will not be able to send information. Therefore, it is essential to eliminate such problems when interacting with wearable devices.
Performance level
An important factor influencing user demand is the degree of application performance. Users will be satisfied with the application if it functions smoothly on any electronic device, regardless of location. Developers must consider all the nuances that affect the speed and efficiency of the application.
Testing process
To eliminate weaknesses in the application, testing should be carried out to determine its quality, functionality, and security. Such a check will provide an opportunity to optimize the program’s operation as much as possible and protect against weaknesses.
Drawing up a test plan
The development team needs to build a plan for conducting tests, considering the requirements and the range of application functionality. Such a plan is a detailed document that specifies the audit strategy, objectives, test schedule, testing timeline, resource requirements, cost, and results to be obtained at the end of the audit.
Checking conditions
Developers must analyze the requirements and consider possible risks to detect potential obstacles. All requirements for the application should not contradict each other, and the wording of the set conditions should be transparent and understandable.
Functional and non-functional testing
This step involves testers checking the application’s functionality and looking for errors; if they are found, they are transferred to development engineers for correction.
Non-functional healthcare application testing involves testing performance, comfortable use, compatibility (integration), reliability, and security.
Running a regression test
After the development engineers have fixed all the detected errors by QA specialists, the application is tested again. It is done to determine how the program will function, considering the adjustments made in the program. Regression testing ensures that the created application works smoothly and meets the requirements.
Drawing up reports
At each stage of testing, it is necessary to reflect on the results of the test and all actions and operations associated with it. Detailed reporting of each testing stage allows you to see the overall picture of the examination of the created medical application.
Selecting a test team
In order not to make a mistake with the choice, follow some recommendations that are taken into account when choosing:
- Manual and automatic testing is applied;
- compatibility tests are carried out;
- takes into account when the load changes;
- takes risks into account.
By following these guidelines, your organization may reach the most qualified and experienced professionals for long-term fruitful collaboration.
