questions about the functionality of LHC forms with repeating elements about lforms

[GitHubUNCStudent]

{
"name": "Test Questionnaire Repeating Elements",
"title": "Repeating Elements",
"id": "355758",
"status": "active",
"version": "1",
"experimental": true,
"meta": {
"versionId": "1",
"lastUpdated": "2019-11-21T04:25:04.000Z",
"profile": [
"http://hl7.org/fhir/uv/sdc/StructureDefinition/sdc-questionnaire|2.7"
]
},
"items": [
{
"question": "Risks",
"questionCodeSystem": "Custom",
"questionCode": "1",
"questionCardinality": {
"min": "1",
"max": ""
},
"header": true,
"editable": "1",
"answerCardinality": {
"min": "0",
"max": "1"
},
"codeList": [
{
"system": "Custom",
"code": "1",
"display": "Risks"
}
],
"linkId": "/1",
"items": [
{
"question": "What type of risk is this?",
"questionCodeSystem": "Custom",
"questionCode": "1.1",
"questionCardinality": {
"min": "1",
"max": "1"
},
"header": false,
"editable": "1",
"answerCardinality": {
"min": "1",
"max": "1"
},
"dataType": "CNE",
"answers": [
{
"text": "Psychological or Emotional",
"code": "A",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "Physical",
"code": "B",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "Financial",
"code": "C",
"label": "",
"score": null
}
],
"displayControl": {
"answerLayout": {
"type": "COMBO_BOX"
}
},
"codeList": [
{
"system": "Custom",
"code": "1.1",
"display": "What type of risk is this?"
}
],
"linkId": "/1/1.1"
},
{
"question": "Describe the risk in detail",
"questionCodeSystem": "Custom",
"questionCode": "1.2",
"questionCardinality": {
"min": "1",
"max": "1"
},
"header": false,
"editable": "1",
"answerCardinality": {
"min": "1",
"max": "1"
},
"dataType": "TX",
"codeList": [
{
"system": "Custom",
"code": "1.2",
"display": "Describe the risk in detail"
}
],
"linkId": "/1/1.2"
},
{
"question": "What is the timeline when this risk will happen?",
"questionCodeSystem": "Custom",
"questionCode": "1.3",
"questionCardinality": {
"min": "1",
"max": "1"
},
"header": false,
"editable": "1",
"answerCardinality": {
"min": "1",
"max": "1"
},
"dataType": "CNE",
"answers": [
{
"text": "Effects will become apparent during the study",
"code": "A",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "Effects may become apparent many years after the study",
"code": "B",
"label": "",
"score": null
}
],
"displayControl": {
"answerLayout": {
"type": "COMBO_BOX"
}
},
"codeList": [
{
"system": "Custom",
"code": "1.3",
"display": "What is the timeline when this risk will happen?"
}
],
"linkId": "/1/1.3"
},
{
"question": "Is there a risk of death?",
"questionCodeSystem": "Custom",
"questionCode": "1.4",
"questionCardinality": {
"min": "1",
"max": "1"
},
"header": false,
"editable": "1",
"answerCardinality": {
"min": "1",
"max": "1"
},
"dataType": "CNE",
"answers": [
{
"text": "Yes",
"code": "Yes",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "No",
"code": "No",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "Unknown or N/A",
"code": "Unknown or N/A",
"label": "",
"score": null
}
],
"displayControl": {
"answerLayout": {
"type": "COMBO_BOX"
}
},
"codeList": [
{
"system": "Custom",
"code": "1.4",
"display": "Is there a risk of death?"
}
],
"linkId": "/1/1.4"
}
]
},
{
"question": "Procedures",
"questionCodeSystem": "Custom",
"questionCode": "2",
"questionCardinality": {
"min": "1",
"max": ""
},
"header": true,
"editable": "1",
"answerCardinality": {
"min": "0",
"max": "1"
},
"codeList": [
{
"system": "Custom",
"code": "2",
"display": "Procedures"
}
],
"linkId": "/2",
"items": [
{
"question": "Select the type of procedure",
"questionCodeSystem": "Custom",
"questionCode": "2.1",
"questionCardinality": {
"min": "1",
"max": "1"
},
"header": false,
"editable": "1",
"answerCardinality": {
"min": "1",
"max": "1"
},
"dataType": "CNE",
"answers": [
{
"text": "Blood draw",
"code": "A",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "Xray or CT scan",
"code": "B",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "MRI",
"code": "C",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "Ultrasound",
"code": "D",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "Other lab procedure",
"code": "E",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "Injections",
"code": "F",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "Administering pills or liquid medication",
"code": "G",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "Surgery",
"code": "H",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "Usage of a medical device",
"code": "I",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "Other",
"code": "J",
"label": "",
"score": null
}
],
"displayControl": {
"answerLayout": {
"type": "COMBO_BOX"
}
},
"codeList": [
{
"system": "Custom",
"code": "2.1",
"display": "Select the type of procedure"
}
],
"linkId": "/2/2.1"
},
{
"question": "How often will this procedure be done?",
"questionCodeSystem": "Custom",
"questionCode": "2.2",
"questionCardinality": {
"min": "1",
"max": "1"
},
"header": false,
"editable": "1",
"answerCardinality": {
"min": "0",
"max": "1"
},
"dataType": "CNE",
"answers": [
{
"text": "Yearly",
"code": "A",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "Several times per year",
"code": "B",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "Monthly",
"code": "C",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "2-3 times per month",
"code": "D",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "Weekly",
"code": "E",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "Daily",
"code": "F",
"label": "",
"score": null
},
{
"text": "Multiple times per day",
"code": "G",
"label": "",
"score": null
}
],
"displayControl": {
"answerLayout": {
"type": "COMBO_BOX"
}
},
"codeList": [
{
"system": "Custom",
"code": "2.2",
"display": "How often will this procedure be done?"
}
],
"linkId": "/2/2.2"
}
]
}
]
}

[plynchnlm]

In the FHIR Questionnaire specification, the field "linkId" is defined as being unique to the item definition in the Questionnaire resource. Therefore, if the item is a repeating group, you can expect the linkId (and the child item linkIds) to be repeated in the QuestionnaireResponse. The structure of the group and its children are preserved, so that the each repetition's responses are grouped together in the JSON. It is still not difficult to process. You can see the grouping in the JSON structure of the QuestionnaireResponse link you sent: https://lforms-fhir.nlm.nih.gov/baseR4/QuestionnaireResponse/355762/_history/1

As a side note, please make sure you have your own copies of any resources you put on lforms-fhir.nlm.nih.gov. We reset that database typically weekly, and sometimes more often.

[GitHubUNCStudent]

Thank you for explaining how the standard LHC functionality aligns to FHIR specs. I can work with the child items now that the team understands that this is how they are. Thanks for the warning about the resources. I have made copies of the resources. I know that the database is refreshed often. You can close this issue.

[plynchnlm]

You are welcome-- glad to help.