Our primary objective was to develop an extremely flexible solution that was compatible with the various testing and reporting methods used by multiple hospitals or departments. We also needed to keep the test authoring very user friendly, as MHCS does not have Web developers on staff. Then, reporting to the MHCS mainframe system was required since test results are key to an employee's career. HexaGroup assessed the hospital's needs, tested various technologies and chose to implement a customized version of Question Mark, a worldwide leader in online testing.

The MHCS testing portal's unique features made a large amount of customization necessary before implementation. HexaGroup worked with Question Mark APIs to alter the database structure and programmed additional features using C++, JavaScript and Active Server Pages.

Customization included:

• Allowing numerous user types (the portal requires authors, schedulers, and employee administrators) which is a limited feature in the standard Question Mark configuration. As the security is contained in a DLL, we made some adjustments to the DLL (C++) and interfaced directly with the database (Active Server Pages).
• Customization of the database to allow for direct interface with MHCS HR legacy systems. All tests needed to be exported to the mainframe. A script was created to process test results and export them to MHCS systems.
• Modifying test grouping by department and individual since it was necessary to personalize the list of an individual’s required tests upon login. We developed a workflow system that handles employee career changes, hospital restructuring and< other changes that would affect tests displayed per employee.
• Focusing the reporting system for the healthcare industry. Question Mark is not targeted to any particular industry, so HexaGroup built a system that meets MHCS’s specific reporting needs.

This large Intranet application resides on a Microsoft hosting platform and provides a unique solution for any hospital testing requirements. Once again, HexaGroup demonstrated our ability to research, select and integrate various technologies and products. HexaGroup is a Question Mark implementation partner.