Getting Started with CareLang#

Welcome to CareLang—a language that speaks to both humans and machines, designed for care providers who want to encode their expertise into shareable, verifiable workflows.

What is CareLang?#

CareLang lets you write healthcare workflows in plain, declarative English. Think of it as the language you'd use to train a new team member, but structured enough that computers can understand and execute it.

The Core Idea: Describe what should happen and why, not how to technically implement it.

Your First Workflow#

Here's a post-operative follow-up process:

CarePath [Post-Op Followup]
  When [Surgery Completed]
    Action [Call Patient] (purpose: check wound status)
    If [Pain > 5] -> Escalate [Nurse Triage]
    Log [Patient Response]

This reads like clinical documentation but compiles to executable workflows.

Why CareLang?#

Human-Readable#

Clinicians can read, write, and verify workflows without programming expertise.

Auditable#

Every action, decision, and escalation is explicit. No black boxes, no hidden logic.

Empathy-Encoded#

Express not just actions, but intent, tone, and emotional context:

Comfort [Patient] (tone: reassuring)
Encourage [Family] (when: discharge)

Bidirectional#

CareLang isn't just written to—it writes back. AI systems can read, reason about, and update workflows as context evolves.

How CareLang Works#

1. Write Workflows#

Use capitalized keywords and natural structure:

CarePath [Medication Check]
  When [Order Received]
    Verify [Patient Identity]
    Verify [Five Rights]
    Record [Administration]

2. Add Context#

Use parentheses for Augmented Intelligence hints and intent:

Action [Call Patient] (purpose: reassurance, tone: warm)

3. Use Smart Variables#

Square brackets reference data and templates:

Record [Vital Signs]
Output [DischargeNote] [Template]

4. Build Logic#

Handle real-world situations with conditions:

If [Pain > 5]
  -> Alert [Provider]
  -> If [Pain > 8]
    -> Escalate [Emergency]

Core Keywords#

CareLang provides semantic keywords for clinical workflows:

Data Capture

• Record - Capture structured data
• Log - Document observations
• Describe - Narrative details

Validation

• Verify - Confirm completion
• Confirm - Cross-check state
• Require - Mandate completion

Actions

• Action - Executable instruction
• Apply - Procedural action
• Perform - Execute procedure

Delegation

• Assign - Delegate task
• Escalate - Urgent elevation
• Alert - Notify party
• Notify - General communication

Empathy

• Comfort - Emotional support
• Encourage - Positive reinforcement
• Explain - Clarification
• Reassure - Anxiety reduction

Workflow Structure#

A complete workflow has clear phases:

CarePath [Emergency Department Visit]
  
  Arrival
    Record [Arrival Time]
    Record [Chief Complaint]
    
  Triage
    Record [Vital Signs]
    Action [Calculate Acuity]
    
    If [High Acuity]
      -> Escalate [Immediate Care]
    
  Treatment
    When [Assessment Complete]
      Action [Order Tests]
      Action [Initiate Treatment]
  
  Disposition
    If [Admit]
      -> Output [Admission Orders]
    
    If [Discharge]
      -> Output [Discharge Instructions]
      -> Assign [Follow-up]

Real-World Example#

Here's a complete medication safety workflow:

CarePath [Medication Administration]
  
  When [Order Received]
    Verify [Right Patient] (method: two-factor)
    Verify [Right Drug] (match: order vs label)
    Verify [Right Dose]
    Verify [Right Route]
    Verify [Right Time]
    
    If [Allergies Detected]
      -> Alert [Prescriber]
      -> Hold [Administration]
      -> Log [Incident]
    
    If [All Checks Pass]
      -> Record [Administration Time]
      -> Record [Administrator Name]
      
    Action [Monitor Patient] (duration: 30 minutes)
    
    If [Adverse Reaction]
      -> Escalate [Rapid Response]
      -> Record [Reaction Details]

Key Principles#

Declarative Over Imperative#

Don't write this:

if (painScore > 5) {
  scheduleNurseTriage();
  notifyProvider();
  updateChart();
}

Write this:

If [Pain > 5] -> Escalate [Nurse Triage]

State Intent Clearly#

Don't write:

Action [Call Patient]

Write:

Action [Call Patient] (purpose: wound check, tone: reassuring)

Handle Exceptions#

Always plan for what happens when things go wrong:

If [Lab Delay]
  -> Notify [Provider]
  -> Document [Reason]
  -> Adjust [Treatment Plan]

Use Sections for Organization#

PreOperative
  Verify [Consent]
  Verify [Site Marking]

Operative
  Record [Procedure Steps]

PostOperative
  Assign [Recovery Orders]
  Assign [Follow-up]

Common Patterns#

Safety Verification Chain#

Verify [Patient Identity] (method: two-factor)
Verify [Site Marking] (pre-incision)
Verify [Instrument Count] (pre and post closure)

Conditional Escalation#

If [Lab Result Abnormal]
  -> Alert [Provider]
  -> If [Critical Value]
    -> Escalate [Rapid Response]

Time-Sensitive Actions#

Action [ECG] (target: within 10 minutes)
Action [Antibiotic] (target: within 1 hour)
Action [Door to Balloon] (target: < 90 minutes)

Output Generation#

Output [OperativeNote] [StandardTemplate]
Output [PathologyReport] [CAPProtocol]
Output [DischargeInstructions] [PatientFriendly]

Best Practices#

Start with familiar workflows
Pick something you do every day and describe it simply.

Be specific about intent
Always explain the "why" in parentheses.

Use descriptive names
CarePath [Post-Op Day 1 Knee Assessment] not CarePath [Assessment]

Test with colleagues
Share your workflows—can others understand them without explanation?

Iterate based on reality
Update workflows as you learn from actual use.

Next Steps#

1. Try the Quick Start Tutorial - Build your first workflow in 10 minutes

2. Explore Examples - See real-world workflows

The Vision#

CareLang is inspired by Smalltalk's vision of giving users a world they can live inside. For healthcare, this means clinicians can co-design and iterate on workflows safely—systems that collaborate with them rather than command them.

Where Smalltalk gave programmers a language for thought, CareLang gives clinicians a language for care.

Ready to transform your clinical expertise into structured workflows? Start with one simple process from your daily practice and describe it in CareLang.