This guide is for healthcare integration analysts and their managers. In this chapter, learn about testing, which is conducted during different phases in the interface cycle: during configuration and development; during the formal validation phase and during maintenance.

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CHAPTER 8: Test Scenarios and Test Systems

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It’s time for testing, which is conducted during different
phases of the interface lifecycle
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Why Test?

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For the development phase of your interface:
• Test to avoid introducing new problems.
• Test your code to make sure you are not interjecting errors.
• Make sure you interface makes sense and meets your
requirements.
For the validation phase:
• Determine that the interface works well.
• Make sure it meets of the requirement of clinical workflow.
• Test performance, extreme data cases.
• Check how well the interface supports large volumes of data.
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Why Test?

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During validation, automate your testing
• Be able to connect to web services or a database, such
as by calling a web service, and check in the database
after sending a message.
• Validate inbound and outbound messages.
• Validate ack and nack.
• Generate values and test messages from a profile or
specification, and generate a large volume of
data/messages if you’re conducting volume testing.
• Repeat test plans/scenarios, and create reports.
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What to Look for in a Test Tool

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HL7 SURVIVAL GUIDE CHAPTER 8 7
What to Test
• Understand the clinical workflows being supported by the interface
• Test to be sure that the interface engine behaves as expected for both
standard as well as unexpected workflows.
– With edge cases, consider more possibilities
• Test to be sure you are not introducing errors.
• Use sample messages and those that verify beyond the basic exchange
of data.
• Automate your testing.
– Increase testing flexibility
• If provided use vendors’ validation guides fill of test scenarios.
– Makes sure those scenarios match your workflows

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Make sure that your tests cover your interoperability requirements, and include the
following:
• 1. Workflow. Confirm the interface engine handles your standard workflows as
expected.
• 2. Edge cases: unexpected values. If you’re testing birth dates, include 1899 as
well as 2017. Include dates with the month and day reversed. Try different
abbreviations for the days of the week. Check all caps on names. Check accented
names. Check hyphenated last names, and those with an apostrophe.
• 3. Performance, load, and network testing. Though interface developers don’t
normally test network infrastructure, you may want to do this during the validation
phase to see how workflows and data are impacting overall infrastructure
performance. A high-volume interface may need more load testing than a low-volume
interface, depending on your interface engine and connectivity infrastructure.
• 4. Individual systems. You should test each system on its own, kind of analogous to
unit testing in software development. For instance, in addition to making sure the
surgical and billing systems handle workflow end to end, make sure they work
separately.
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Test Types

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After configuring a test plan and test scenarios, configure
you interface in a test system, not a production system:
– If you forget to cancel or delete all test transactions once
you’re through with testing, you’ll end up with faulty
transactions in your production system.
– You run the risk of impacting ePHI or HIPAA-protected health
data.
– You don’t want phantom data turning up in a CMS audit. Your
clinical systems contain data that constitute a legal record.
Set up a test system with the same configuration as your
production system, including the same rights and versions.
Upload enough patient data, and be sure your tests cover your
requirements.
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Create a Test System

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As part of the testing process, run reports. The reports should
document the following:
• Number of times the test was run, as well as test duration –
if you’re sending messages, this helps you understand
performance.
• Test results, including positive validations and failures.
• The messages that were used; note the data source (SQL
queries pulling from a database, an HL7 message feed, a
batch file).
• Summary of test scenarios that were run.
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Test Reports

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• A basic listener/receiver allows you to play/test messages
without implementing your interface engine in a production
environment.
• Download the free Caristix Message Player to send or
receive messages. Read about how we use Message Player
here.
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Message Player for Basic Listening and Routing

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• Iterate more accurately
• Verify functionality immediately
• Save time and ensure a better go-live
• Enable traceability
– Easily troubleshoot
– Determine responsibility for issues as you work with vendors and HIE
partners
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Why You Need These Artifacts

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• Chapter 9 in the HL7 Survival Guide
• Message Samples and Test Messages
– The right tools are helpful when testing your interface.
Most important is having the right message samples and
test messages. Learn more in Chapter 9.
– Blog link: http://caristix.com/blog/2012/11/hl7-survival-
guide-chapter-9/
– Slide deck on Slideshare: coming soon.
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UP NEXT: CHAPTER 9

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