[BCM] [SY] [E2] [C7] Testing and Exercising

Chapter 7

 As Part of the BCM Planning Methodology for Synapse

In the healthtech landscape, where patient safety, national health operations, and public trust are at stake, business continuity is not just a best practice—it is a necessity.

For Synapxe, Singapore’s national HealthTech agency, the Testing and Exercising Phase of its Business Continuity Management (BCM) Planning Methodology is critical to ensuring that contingency plans are well-documented and actionable under pressure.

This phase is structured into two progressive tiers of testing: Initial (Basic) Tests and Advanced Tests, which validate, refine, and reinforce BCM strategies across systems, departments, and partners.

Initial Tests

Initial tests focus on validating individual components of the BCM plan. These exercises help staff understand their roles and assess the operational feasibility of documented procedures in a controlled, low-risk environment.

1. Component Tests

These are discrete, focused tests on specific elements of the BCM plan. For Synapxe, this may involve:

• Verifying backup and restore processes for critical HealthTech platforms such as the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR) or the HealthHub portal.
• Testing failover procedures for critical infrastructure in cloud or hybrid environments.
• Ensuring access to essential applications (e.g., e-Medication or appointment booking systems) from alternate work sites.

Requirements for Synapxe

• Documentation of RTO (Recovery Time Objective) and RPO (Recovery Point Objective) for each system under test.
• Validation of system logs, audit trails, and error handling procedures.

2. Call Notification Tests

These test the efficiency and accuracy of the crisis communication protocols.

• Alerting designated stakeholders such as IT managers, crisis coordinators, and vendor support teams.
• Verifying alternate contact methods (SMS, email, secure messaging platforms).

Requirements for Synapxe

• Confirmation that emergency contact lists are up to date.
• Ability to initiate mass notification within 15 minutes of an incident.
• Capture and analysis of acknowledgement rates and response times.

3. Walkthrough Exercises

Staff go through the BCM procedures step-by-step in a guided session.

• Role-players discuss their actions in the event of a disruption.
• These sessions often identify gaps in coordination or documentation.

Requirements for Synapxe

• Cross-functional participation (including clinical application support, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and HR).
• Integration of Health Ministry escalation protocols and data privacy considerations.
• Post-walkthrough review and update of process documentation.

Advanced Tests

Once initial tests demonstrate readiness and individual components function as intended, advanced tests simulate real-world challenges. These high-fidelity exercises ensure Synapxe is equipped to manage complex, multifaceted disruptions.

1. Integrated Tests

These test multiple components working in tandem.

• Example: A test simulating a cyberattack that disrupts clinical data access while concurrently testing staff relocation to alternate sites.
• Evaluates end-to-end process continuity, including third-party service continuity.

Requirements for Synapxe

• Full participation from internal departments and external vendors (e.g., cloud service providers, telecoms).
• Pre-defined test scenarios aligned with Synapxe’s enterprise risk profile.
• Monitoring of upstream and downstream dependencies, especially with MOH-linked systems.

2. Simulation Tests

These are structured, scenario-driven tests involving realistic crisis situations.

• Example: Simulating a ransomware attack on hospital networks or a prolonged data centre outage due to a power failure.
• Staff perform their actual BCM duties in real time, without prior knowledge of the specific scenario.

Requirements for Synapxe

• Scenario scripting that includes IT, operations, and communications challenges.
• Evaluation metrics (e.g., time to invoke BCP, recovery progression, user experience impacts).
• Involvement of senior leadership and coordination with national emergency response teams.

3. Live Tests

The most rigorous form of testing, live tests simulate actual failover and recovery activities.

• May include physically shutting down a primary system or switching operations to an alternate site.

Requirements for Synapxe

• Executive approval and strict risk controls.
• Clear rollback plans to avoid impact on real-time healthcare services.
• Advanced communication to healthcare partners and critical users.
• Real-time performance tracking and system load testing.

Summing Up ...

For Synapxe, whose role as a digital backbone to Singapore’s healthcare ecosystem cannot be overstated, robust BCM testing is essential.

The Testing and Exercising Phase ensures that contingency strategies are not only compliant with frameworks like ISO 22301 but are also practical, effective, and synchronised with national healthcare imperatives.

By systematically progressing from basic to advanced tests, Synapxe validates technical recovery processes and fosters a culture of preparedness and resilience—a cornerstone for continuity in HealthTech.

Ensuring Continuity in HealthTech: Implementing BCM for Synapxe
BCM Planning Methodology

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