| name | fhir-instrument-search |
| description | Find existing validated FHIR Questionnaire instruments before writing custom items. Searches Simplifier, the FHIR package registry, AHRQ's instrument repository, and PROMIS. Use whenever the user asks for a "depression screen", "pain scale", "ADL assessment", etc. — almost always there's a published instrument. |
FHIR instrument search
When to use this
- The user asks for a screening, intake, or outcome instrument by
domain ("depression screening", "fall risk", "pediatric pain").
- You're about to author new items and want to check whether a
validated instrument already covers the territory.
- A draft duplicates content from a known instrument and you want
to swap-in (or sub-Questionnaire-reference) the canonical version.
Sources
- Simplifier —
https://simplifier.net/search?type=Questionnaire
(browser search; programmatic via https://simplifier.net/api
if creds are present).
- FHIR package registry —
https://packages.fhir.org/ and
https://registry.fhir.org/.
- AHRQ instrument repository —
https://www.ahrq.gov/
(search for instruments by domain).
- PROMIS APIs —
https://www.healthmeasures.net/promis-instruments
(computer-adaptive forms have a different API path).
- Local library —
data/forms/ already-imported instruments;
the studio shows them in the Library panel.
Capture per candidate
- Canonical URL (e.g.
http://loinc.org/q/44249-1 for PHQ-9 in some publications, or
the publisher-specific canonical URL).
- Version, copyright, license terms (some instruments are
copyrighted with restrictions on modification — flag these).
- Item count, scoring rule, validation population, languages
available.
License triage
- Public domain (PHQ-9, GAD-7, AUDIT-C, MMSE-2 derivatives in
some jurisdictions): include freely.
- Free with attribution (most NIH / AHRQ): include with
attribution.
- Permission required (some PROMIS forms, BDI-II, HADS):
surface the requirement; do NOT inline copyrighted content.
Use
subQuestionnaire referencing the canonical URL instead.
Output
In findings.json, summarize each candidate with the fields above
plus a "fits this form because" sentence. In a propose-edit, prefer
subQuestionnaire reference over inlining for any non-public-domain
instrument.
Pitfalls
- "Has a Questionnaire resource" ≠ validated. Many published forms
are clinician convenience rewrites, not psychometrically validated.
- Inlining copyrighted items as paraphrases. Don't paraphrase;
either get the rights or reference.
- LOINC panels don't always have canonical FHIR Questionnaires.
Sometimes you assemble one from the LOINC item codes manually.
