Testing

Testing the system before it was used clinically was essential to ensure patient safety and adherence to protocol.

It was handled by the ICT Senior Clinical Project Manager at ICHT, according to test scripts provided by Cerner.

Testing process

Testing was a relatively quick process. The equipment (both hardware and software) was set up, turned on and run in the build (cert) domain, which contained simulated pregnancy data and monitors. Unfortunately not all equipment could be tested at this stage, owing to delays in its delivery.

The technical testing was completed by the ICT team. Every midwife in the Trust was trained on the build in the testing domain to ensure there were no clinical issues post release.

Key lessons

Testing might need to be handled in-house so support from the vendor should not be taken for granted.
Ensure ALL equipment and infrastructure is in place and tested beforehand. This was not possible due to equipment delivery delays, and as a result, at deployment, there were a number of initial issues with connectivity and equipment set-up that could have been avoided.

Supporting evidence

ICHT testing had be handled in-house and, despite the fact that not all equipment could be tested due to delays in delivery, the connectivity and set-up challenges faced at deployment were overcome. However, the importance of testing should not be underestimated, as organisations like the King’s Fund (2018) and the Health Foundation (2015) list lack of adequate testing as one of the main barriers to the spread of innovations within the NHS.

References

The Health Foundation (2015). What’s getting in the way? barriers to improvement in the NHS. The Health Foundation: London. Available here. (accessed 19/02/19)

King’s Fund (2018). Adoption and spread of innovation in the NHS. King’s Fund: London. Available here. (accessed 19/02/19)

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