Getting started with the Open Syndrome Definition 📄
Table of Contents
Getting Started #
Whether you want to contribute new syndrome definitions or use existing ones, starting is simple.
Contributors submit their definitions through GitHub Pull Requests,
and users can access the definitions through our website in various formats - JSON, text, or through direct GitHub access.
This initiative represents a step toward more open, standardized, and collaborative medical knowledge sharing. By bringing together clinical expertise and modern technology infrastructure, we’re creating a valuable resource for the entire healthcare community.
How does this initiative works? #
Our workflow is deliberately simple: a GitHub repository serves as the central hub where all definitions are stored and managed. Any person can submit a new definition through the submission contact form
or directly via a GitHub Pull Request.
People have also the option of verifying their affiliations and become verified contributors. For this, they need to provide a valid email address and an organization name through the verification form.
The definitions from verified contributors receive the tag verified. All contributions are reviewed by the community and published on our website after approval and technical validation.
When a definition is submitted though the form, we automatically create a GitHub Pull Request in our repository. This allows us to maintain a clear history of contributions and ensures that all definitions are version-controlled. Then, it will go through the same process as any other Pull Request, including validation and community review.
Here’s a visual representation of our workflow:
(Technical/Academic/Healthcare Orgs) Note over PH,DU: Contribution Flow PH->>GR: Open PR with syndrome definition GR->>CI: Trigger validation CI->>CI: Validate JSON schema alt Valid Definition CI->>GR: Report success GR->>GR: Check contributor verification alt Verified Contributor Note over GR: Community Review Period GR->>PH: Request changes (if needed) PH->>GR: Address review comments GR->>GR: PR approved GR->>GR: Merge to main branch GR->>CI: Trigger build CI->>WEB: Deploy static website else Unverified Contributor Note over GR: Wait for Verification GR->>PH: Request verification PH->>GR: Complete verification Note over GR: Resume Review Process end else Invalid Definition CI->>GR: Report failure GR->>PH: Request fixes end Note over PH,DU: Usage Flow DU->>WEB: Browse definitions DU->>WEB: Download JSON DU->>WEB: Copy text format DU->>WEB: Convert text to JSON
Our Community #
Our platform brings together four key groups: Public Health Practitioners who contribute their expertise through syndrome definitions, the Technical Community that builds tools and models using this data, Healthcare Organizations that implement these definitions in practice, and the Academic Community that uses this knowledge for research and education.