---
title: "Diagnostic Definitions"
slug: "product-manual-compass-diagnostic-definitions"
updated: 2026-10-29T17:39:04Z
published: 2026-10-29T17:39:04Z
canonical: "docs.ursahealth.com/product-manual-compass-diagnostic-definitions"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.ursahealth.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Diagnostic Definitions

Diagnostic definitions are reusable blueprints that capture a diagnostic's configuration and session structure. They are shared across all users (not tied to a specific owner) and can be instantiated into new diagnostics.

## Creating a Diagnostic Definition

The Diagnostic Definitions list shows all definitions, sorted by domain, with columns for name and description, suites, and last updated. It is filterable by domain, name, description, and suite.

To create a new definition, click **New Definition**. The definition editor has two views:

### Form View

Provides structured fields:

- **Name** — A unique name for the definition.
- **Description** — Optional context about the definition's purpose.
- **Domain** — Optional category (e.g., "Cost Savings", "Quality Metrics").
- **System Prompt** — Instructions defining the AI's role and focus area.
- **Tools** — Which capabilities the AI has access to.
- **Sessions** — An ordered list of session definitions, each with:
  - **Name** — Session name.
  - **Initial Request** — The starting prompt for the session.
  - **Disposition Schema** — Structured output schema for the session.
  - **Dependencies** — References to other sessions in the definition (by name), with optional conditional logic on disposition values.

### Markdown View

A full-text markdown editor for the definition. The format uses heading levels to structure the definition:

```
# Template: My Workflow

## Description
A description of the workflow.

## Domain
Risk Management

## System Prompt
You are assisting a healthcare data analyst.

## Tools
QUERY_DATABASE, GET_MEASURE_METADATA, SEARCH_DATA_MODEL, PROMOTE_FINDING

## Sessions

### First Session
- **Initial Request:** Investigate the data
- **Disposition Schema:**
  - risk: HIGH | MEDIUM | LOW

### Second Session
- **Initial Request:** Dig into the high-risk cases
- **Dependencies:**
  - First Session [risk = HIGH]
```

Use the **Reformat** button to clean up markdown formatting. Switching from Markdown to Form view will parse the markdown; errors are shown inline.

## Capturing a Diagnostic as a Definition

On any diagnostic detail page, the owner can click **Save as Definition** to create a new diagnostic definition from the diagnostic's current configuration and sessions. Session dependencies are carried over, referenced by session name.

## Creating a Diagnostic from a Definition

On the definition detail page, click **Create Diagnostic**. This creates a new diagnostic with the definition's configuration and sessions.

## Validation

Diagnostic definitions are validated on save:

- Name is required and must be unique.
- Each session must have a name, and no two sessions may share one.
- Dependencies cannot self-reference.
- Upstream session names must exist in the definition.
- Conditional dependencies require the upstream session to have the referenced disposition schema key as an enum type, and the value must be in the allowed list.
- Circular dependencies are detected and rejected.

## Access Control

- **Authenticated users** can view the diagnostic definition list and individual definitions.
- **Reviewers** can view definitions but cannot create or edit them, or create diagnostics from them.
- **Compass Authors** (and above) can create, edit, delete definitions, create diagnostics from definitions, and capture diagnostics to definitions.