Ensuring the highest standards of safety, compliance, and reliability for Veterans and federal health care providers.
We spoke with Lora A. Evans, chief quality officer at DSS, about the critical role QA plays in delivering trusted health care technology for Veterans.
Q: Why is QA so important when developing solutions for the VA?
Lora: QA is the final gate before any release goes into production. But at DSS, we are involved in every gate, and every process includes QA oversight.
Our highest priority is patient safety and better patient outcomes. Our CEO, Mark Byers, is a Veteran, and for more than 35 years DSS has been committed to improving Veteran health care. We even have a sign on our department door that reads, “Patient Safety is Priority One.” That is not just a slogan. It is our daily commitment.
We focus on lowering risk, mitigating defects, and ensuring compliance with accessibility standards like Section 508, security protocols, and other federal regulations. Every release must support safety, accuracy, and reliability because real patients depend on these systems.
Q: Can you provide a high-level overview of DSS’ QA efforts?
Lora: QA is embedded throughout the entire software development life cycle. From requirements review to post-production monitoring, our team remains actively engaged.
We create Master Test Plans for every project, which serve as the roadmap for testing. We also continuously research new tools and methods to stay ahead of evolving industry standards.
One of the most unique aspects of DSS is our decision to hire nurses, pharmacists, and clinicians directly into the QA department. More than half of our quality engineers are certified by the International Software Testing Board. By combining deep clinical expertise with advanced quality engineering, we ensure that solutions follow real-world clinical workflows.
That combination strengthens patient safety and drives better outcomes.
Q: Please tell us how the DSS QA analysis follows quality best practices and tell us more about your overall QA methods.
Lora: We follow rigorous quality best practices aligned with CMMI Level 3 standards and documented Agile processes. Our QA engineers hold certifications from recognized industry boards, and we maintain formal Software Quality Assurance Plans for each project.
We define quality as conformance to both functional and operational requirements. Our goals are to prevent defects, verify compliance with requirements, and measure quality throughout the development process.
I am particularly proud of our Defect Removal Efficiency, which currently stands at 96.4 percent. In a clinical environment, that level of defect prevention is extraordinary. It reflects strict processes, disciplined review, and an unwavering focus on safety.
Q: What does your test planning and testing process involve?
Lora: At project inception, we develop a Master Test Plan outlining objectives, scope, risk, and testing strategy. We identify edge cases early, confirm environment readiness, validate patch levels, and ensure proper data configuration before testing begins.
Our testing methodologies include:
Direct functional testing
Negative and boundary testing
Security and compliance testing
Regression testing
Usability testing
Automated sanity testing
Automation also plays a key role. When a release enters our QA environment, automated sanity tests verify that the system and data are correctly configured. We then conduct rigorous manual validation and peer reviews to ensure every test script meets requirements.
We test every scenario we can identify. Nothing moves forward without thorough verification.
Q: Can you walk us through the QA process for a new product?
Lora: QA engagement begins when requirements are introduced. We participate in collaborative meetings with product lifecycle management, development, and project coordination teams to review requirements and begin developing test scenarios.
During the design phase, we review screen layouts, workflows, and configuration details. Development then builds the functionality, followed by a demonstration to confirm alignment with requirements before QA testing begins.
Once in the testing phase, we execute test cases, log and prioritize defects, retest fixes, and run automated regression cycles. After QA validation, the product moves to User Acceptance Testing at designated VA sites. We remain actively involved during UAT and continue oversight through production release and post-release monitoring.
QA does not stop at deployment. We maintain continuous communication with stakeholders, conduct risk assessments, and provide status reporting even after systems are live.
Q: Any final thoughts?
Lora: QA at DSS is not just a technical function. It is a commitment to Veterans. Our 96.4 percent defect removal efficiency reflects disciplined processes and a culture of accountability.
From the first requirement discussion to post-production reporting, QA is present at every stage. That consistency ensures that when a solution reaches the VA, it is safe, reliable, and built to support better patient outcomes.
We would like to thank Lora for sharing her insights with us. To learn more about DSS’ solutions for federal health IT, please click here.