saudi commission for health specialties earns seal of excellence
A Certification Case Study
Introduction
In the dynamic landscape of assessment and accreditation, the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) successfully fortified the security of their health certification exams in a collaboration with the industry’s premier exam security provider, Caveon®.
The strategic initiative not only aimed to bridge existing gaps in test security, but also aspired to set a new standard of excellence in the field. The end result: SCFHS was awarded the prestigious Seal of Excellence, a testament to the successful work with Caveon and a significant milestone in bolstering SCFHS’s reputation as a leader in secure assessment practices.
This case study delves into the journey undertaken by SCFHS and Caveon, showcasing the efforts that resulted in a notable enhancement of the commission’s assessment security practices.
The story of SCFHS
SCFHS’s commitment to fostering a healthy society through qualified health practitioners has been a cornerstone of their mission since their establishment in 1992. As an independent scientific professional body, SCFHS’s vast scope covers a multitude of specialties, with a staggering client base that includes over 650,000 registered health practitioners, delivering approximately 629,270 exams in 280 specialties.
The impetus for their work with Caveon arose from SCFHS’s desire to improve their test security awareness and practices, and in doing so, enhance the integrity and validity of their exams. SCFHS recognized the need to elevate their approach to test security, marking the first time such a project had been undertaken. SCFHS turned to Caveon after being impressed by their established reputation, as well as the expertise demonstrated by Caveon professionals in previous interactions at conferences and industry events.
The Challenges Faced by SCFHS
In early 2021, SCFHS put out an RFP detailing a set of exam security improvements that propelled them to collaborate with experts. Chief among these challenges was the recurrent issue of leaked items, a concern shared by virtually all high-stakes test programs. In addition to this, the team wanted a robust and standardized framework and standardized set of procedures for handling security incidents to proactively shore up any vulnerabilities in their assessment systems.
Why SCFHS Chose Caveon
The decisive factor in SCFHS’s selection of Caveon as their strategic partner was Caveon’s unparalleled reputation as the leader in exam security and track record of successfully conducting security audits for some of the world’s most prestigious testing programs. SCFHS found that Caveon’s credentials, offerings, and processes aligned seamlessly with their aspirations for elevating the security and integrity of SCFHS’s assessments.
The Work
The work with SCFHS included a Caveon Security Audit℠ as well as the provision of a custom Test Security Handbook and Test Security Incident Response Plan.
Caveon Exam Security Audit
The Security Audit provides an independent, impartial review of a test program’s security policies and procedures and evaluates them against Caveon’s 300 best practice standards, highlighting security strengths, identifying risks, and offering actionable recommendations to address any vulnerabilities. The final report details test security findings and recommendations in each of the following areas:
- Test Security Program
- Legal Protection of Secure Test Content
- Physical Security
- Test Development
- Information Security
- Test Security Awareness and Training
- Test Administration
- Measuring the Validity of Test Scores
- Monitoring and Auditing of Test Security Compliance
- Test Security Incident Response Plan
Exam Security Handbook
The Security Handbook integrates all security-related material for an organization into one resource, including a Security Incident Response Plan, processes and procedures, roles and responsibilities, forms and templates, agreements, and more.
Exam Security Incident Response Plan
The Security Incident Response Plan collated all the steps and processes necessary for SCFHS to respond to a variety of test-related security incidents into a single, comprehensive plan. This plan provides a unified source for SCFHS staff to refer to in the event of a security incident.
“The SCFHS staff were invested in improving the security of their testing program and were organized and engaged for the duration of the project, which took approximately 2.5 years. SCFHS was very receptive to the feedback and developed a comprehensive and impressive action plan to address each of the recommendations Caveon provided.”
Joe A. Kamell MBA, CESP
Director, Caveon Audit & Response Solutions℠
This project marked a milestone for Caveon, representing the first Security Audit conducted in the region. Caveon adopted a meticulous approach to the virtual work, scheduling two-hour virtual interview appointments with key stakeholders and utilizing Caveon’s secure file-sharing software, Caveon Core™, for sensitive documentation.
This innovative approach to traditional on-site work allowed for in-depth discussions and interviews that captured the nuances of each department’s processes and contributed to a comprehensive understanding of SCFHS’s test security landscape. Additionally, it fostered a collaborative environment where each course of action was thoroughly discussed and meticulously documented.
Esra, the appointed Project Manager from SCFHS, played a pivotal role in steering the project to success. Her exceptional skills and approach were instrumental in maintaining effective communication and coordination throughout the entirety of the engagement.
the results
The collaboration between Caveon and the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties yielded transformative results in enhancing the integrity and security of SCFHS’s assessment practices. SCFHS expressed pride in acknowledging that their existing practices are considered exceptionally high quality; their work with Caveon unveiled valuable insights into existing vulnerabilities that had been present in their program, prompting a proactive response to fortify their overall test security framework. Importantly, throughout the process and through their conversations with the Caveon team, the entire SCFHS team became more aware and concerned about the importance and value of test security practices and the unintended impact certain behaviors.
“The entire Audit experience is enlightening,” stated Esra. “The Test Security Handbook and the Incident Response Plan are critically important documents that should be utilized by every testing organization.”
Examples of key outcomes implemented by the SCFHS following the Audit include the adoption of a centralized test security management framework, the establishment of a unified system for storing test items, and the implementation of a centralized database for documenting and tracking incidents. These recommendations enhanced SCFHS’s capability to track, document, and analyze security incidents effectively, all while elevating the level of employee awareness regarding test security practices within the organization.
As a testament to success in ensuring exam security, SCHFS was awarded the Caveon Seal of Excellence, a prestigious recognition given to those testing organizations that exemplify the very best test security practices, policies, and processes. The Seal of Excellence demonstrates a testing organization’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the validity of exam results.
“The security audit process was very smooth and rich. The clarity and comprehensiveness of the audit plan were significant.”
Esra Alyaheby
Manager, Assessment Quality and Excellence Department
CONCLUSION
The journey between the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties and Caveon stands as a testament to the transformative power of close client-and-vendor collaboration. The profound impact of Caveon’s work, as echoed by the client, underscores the essence of what sets Caveon apart.
“The support and kindness of the Caveon team was significant. The amount of knowledge they have and the ability to share it with all EAA team members was amazing,” Esra recalled.
These words resonate deeply with Caveon’s commitment to not only deliver exceptional results and ensure test security, but to foster an environment where support, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing are at the forefront.
Alison Kramer, expressing pride in the team’s delivery of outstanding service, highlighted the broader implications of this work: “I am most proud that the team delivered a great service and that based on our work there, we are now working on a more in-depth partnership to bring test security to the region to help other agencies uncover their gaps and to unify the process for other agencies. This was the direct result of our successful work with SCFHS.”
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