By Emily Yan, Healthcare Industry Marketing Manager, Keysight
Twitter: @eggplantio
In the fast-paced realm of healthcare, where cutting-edge technology and patient well-being converge, staying ahead of the curve is a matter that impacts millions of lives.
One area that demands urgent attention is software testing – in the survey conducted by Keysight in collaboration with the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), the healthcare industry has been revealed to be lagging behind other sectors in adopting test automation practices to ensure the quality of healthcare software.
The survey, known as Vital Signs, polled US-based healthcare executives, decision influencers, and IT professionals, with an alarming 82% of respondents indicating that their organizations still rely on manual or do-it-yourself (DIY) software testing methods, leaving them vulnerable to potential software defects and security issues.
According to the survey findings, a mere 33% of manual testers expressed satisfaction with their organizations’ ability to scale testing to meet the demands of the ever-evolving healthcare landscape. Furthermore, a mere 38% reported contentment with the availability of clear testing analytics, while an equal percentage believed their organizations were capable of developing adequate test coverage across all devices and browsers.
Even those healthcare organizations attempting a DIY approach to automated testing encounter formidable obstacles. The scarcity of technical talent needed to build and maintain in-house testing solutions presents a significant roadblock. Healthcare applications, with their inherent complexity, diverse automation frameworks, and programming languages, demand specialized expertise that many organizations simply lack. Astonishingly, only 38% of respondents utilizing DIY testing approaches reported satisfaction with their organization’s ability to enhance the job satisfaction and productivity of their Quality Assurance (QA) teams—a number significantly lower than teams relying on manual testing methods. The hidden costs associated with DIY testing further exacerbate the challenges, with expenses for specialized personnel and additional infrastructure spiraling out of control. Time-consuming tasks such as script writing, debugging, and asset updating can lead to detrimental release delays, leaving organizations scrambling to meet stringent prerelease requirements.
The urgency to modernize testing practices has never been more apparent. The HIMSS report highlights that 75% of healthcare providers plan to adopt test automation within the next five years—a beacon of progress on the horizon. Those who have already embraced automation are reaping the rewards, with an overwhelming 80% expressing satisfaction with their organization’s newfound capabilities.
For healthcare professionals venturing into the realm of automated software testing for the first time or seeking to replace in-house tools with a commercial platform, I highly recommend reading the full report, which offers invaluable analytic insights and best practices. It’s time for the industry to rise above the headwinds, harness the power of automation, and ensure care quality in the ever-changing digital healthcare age.