Technical Testing Requirements

Capability Testing

To enable developers to check and verify implementations against a standards based requirement testing tools and infrastructure are required. FHIR conformance testing requires suitable implementation guides to define the interfacing requirement. FHIR offers standardised validation of data based on implementation guide profiles so fully defined and quality tested implementation guides offer the basis of data testing using standard tools.

A common testing framework can be used by all developers to ensure compatibility and consistent behaviour across systems; and aids in the quality assessemnt of developed systems being fit for purpose in tested areas. This can also form the basis of technical education to allow 

To support FHIR testing in difference areas the following implementation guides are currently relevant:

• AU Base on R4 - recommended localised basis of all Australlian IG content
• AEHRC Primary Care - working implementation guide from project
• AU Provider Directory on R4 - support for secure messaging directory services

To support system capability testing the following general requirements are noted as key general needs:

• SMART Application Launch
• FHIR data content conformance (against IG)
• FHIR interactions capability test (against IG)

To support a basic level of capability by systems the following is recommended

• Define specific scope of requirements; agreed areas of interest
• Confirm FHIR implementation guide content is adequate for testing 
• Use and develop testing modules for coverage of tests needed

It is recommended the infrastructure required to support this testing can be generally supplied by the use of existing tools deployed and maintained as a conformance platform.  This includes:

• Ontoserver: terminology/profile validation; needed to test FHIR instances for correctness including terminology content
• Inferno Framework (https://inferno.healthit.gov/) : testing framwork; modules need to be assessed and developed for local requirements

Alongside the tools  activities needed include

• Provide FHIR IGs as needed
• Deploy assembled testing framework using tools
• Develop specific testing modules as required
• Load and maintain terminology content
• Load and maintain FHIR implementation guide content

Validating IG Content Quality Assurance

Environment

• Ontoserver instance
• Referenced terminologies loaded
• FHIR IG package(s) loaded

FHIR IG package validity:

• Publishing: Check can be registered
• Publishing: Check correct identification
• Publishing: Check correct version

FHIR IG package content validation check:

• For all profiles
  • Test compliant instances
  • Test all constrained element options 
  • Test invalid instances
  • Canonical URL resolution
  • Check correct maturity level
  • Check correct status
  • Test derivation from profile can build
  • Validation in derived profile

Performance test (desirable)

• Need consistent test environment - VM
• Record of test case performance metrics
• Initially looking any large degradation