The maintenance stage of SDLC in healthcare involves maintaining and updating the software system after it has been released to users. During this stage, the healthcare organization ensures that the software system functions correctly and that any bugs or errors are fixed.

The maintenance stage also involves updating the software system to meet the changing needs of healthcare professionals and patients. It is essential to update the software system regularly to ensure that it meets the needs of healthcare professionals and patients (3).

“It is typically handled through real-time reporting or ad hoc reporting systems that are automatically generated within the software itself and sent to the software company automatically.”

– Study

In conclusion, SDLC is essential in healthcare to ensure that software systems meet the needs of healthcare professionals and patients while adhering to industry standards and regulations. The SDLC framework includes several stages: planning, analysis, design, implementation, and maintenance.

The planning stage involves identifying the needs and requirements of healthcare professionals and patients, while the analysis stage involves analyzing the requirements identified in the planning stage. The design stage involves designing the software system based on the requirements specified in the planning and analysis stages. In contrast, the implementation stage consists in developing the software system based on the design created in the previous step. Finally, the maintenance stage consists in maintaining and updating the software system after it has been released to users.

SDLC provides a structured framework for managing the software development process in healthcare. It ensures that software systems are developed securely, efficiently, and effectively in a controlled environment. SDLC helps healthcare organizations to manage the software development process in a structured manner, ensuring that the software system meets the needs of healthcare professionals and patients. By using SDLC in healthcare, healthcare organizations can develop secure and effective software systems that improve patient care and outcomes.

In addition to the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), the System Design Life Cycle (SDLC) is also essential in healthcare. The SDLC is a framework to design, develop, and implement complex systems, including hardware, software, and network systems. In healthcare, the SDLC is used to design and develop healthcare information systems that are essential for patient care, including Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS), and Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS).

The System Design Life Cycle in healthcare consists of several stages, including planning, analysis, design, implementation, and maintenance, similar to the SDLC. Each phase of the SDLC in healthcare is essential in designing and developing healthcare information systems that meet the needs of healthcare professionals and patients.

The planning stage of the System Design Life Cycle involves identifying the needs and requirements of healthcare professionals and patients. This stage consists in understanding the current healthcare environment, identifying the problems and challenges faced by healthcare professionals and patients, and determining the goals and objectives of the healthcare information system.

The analysis stage of the System Design Life Cycle involves analyzing the requirements identified in the planning stage. This stage involves understanding the workflow and processes involved in providing patient care, identifying the data and information needed to support patient care, and defining the functional and non-functional requirements of the healthcare information system.

The design stage of the System Design Life Cycle involves designing the healthcare information system based on the requirements identified in the planning and analysis stages. This stage consists in creating a high-level system design, including the architecture, components, and interfaces. It also involves creating a detailed system design, including the data models, user interfaces, and system interfaces.

The implementation stage of the System Design Life Cycle involves developing and implementing the healthcare information system based on the design created in the previous step. This stage involves developing the system’s software, hardware, and network components, testing the system to ensure it meets the requirements identified in the planning and analysis stages, and deploying the system to the healthcare organization.

The maintenance stage of the System Design Life Cycle involves maintaining and updating the healthcare information system after it has been deployed to the healthcare organization. This stage consists of ensuring that the system functions correctly, fixing any bugs or errors, and updating the system to meet the changing needs of healthcare professionals and patients.

The System Design Life Cycle is essential in healthcare to design and develop healthcare information systems that meet the needs of healthcare professionals and patients. The SDLC and the System Design Life Cycle complement each other in healthcare, with the SDLC providing a framework for developing software systems and the System Design Life Cycle providing a framework for designing and developing complex healthcare information systems. By using the SDLC and the System Design Life Cycle in healthcare, healthcare organizations can develop and deploy healthcare information systems that improve patient care and outcomes.

Healthcare information systems developed using the System Design Life Cycle can help healthcare organizations improve patient care quality while reducing costs and increasing efficiency. Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are an example of healthcare information systems developed using the System Design Life Cycle. EHRs allow healthcare professionals to access patient health information quickly and easily, reducing the risk of medical errors and improving patient outcomes.

Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) are another examples of healthcare information systems developed using the System Design Life Cycle. PACS allows healthcare professionals to store, manage, and view medical images electronically, reducing the need for physical storage space and enabling healthcare professionals to access photos quickly and easily.

Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) are also developed using the System Design Life Cycle. CDSS allows healthcare professionals to access evidence-based information to make clinical decisions, reducing the risk of medical errors and improving patient outcomes.

The System Design Life Cycle is also essential in ensuring healthcare information systems comply with industry standards and regulations. Healthcare organizations must comply with several laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which sets national standards for protecting the privacy and security of patient health information. The System Design Life Cycle can help healthcare organizations ensure that their healthcare information systems comply with these regulations.

In addition, the System Design Life Cycle can help healthcare organizations ensure their healthcare information systems are secure. Healthcare information systems are vulnerable to security threats, including malware, ransomware, and data breaches. The System Design Life Cycle can help healthcare organizations identify potential security threats and implement preventive measures.

Finally, the System Design Life Cycle can help healthcare organizations to ensure that their healthcare information systems are interoperable. Interoperability allows different healthcare information systems to communicate, allowing healthcare professionals to access patient health information regardless of where it was created or stored. The System Design Life Cycle can help healthcare organizations ensure their information systems are interoperable, improving patient care and outcomes.

The System Design Life Cycle is essential in healthcare to design and develop complex healthcare information systems that meet the needs of healthcare professionals and patients while complying with industry standards and regulations. The System Design Life Cycle provides a structured framework for designing and developing healthcare information systems, including Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS), and Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS). By using the System Design Life Cycle in healthcare, healthcare organizations can develop secure and interoperable healthcare information systems that improve patient care and outcomes while reducing costs and increasing efficiency.

The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a framework for designing, developing, and implementing information systems. It consists of several stages, including planning and requirements definition, design of the new system, implementation, and post-implementation support. This section will discuss each of these stages in more detail.