ConnectED Health Assessment App
Clinician Model Card – Version 3.0 (2025)
For use in clinical screening, triage, and documentation support
1. Purpose & Scope
The ConnectED Assessment App is a patient-reported symptom screening tool designed to highlight clinical patterns consistent with:
- Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS)
- Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
- Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)
The tool synthesises multi-system symptom inputs into clinician-readable reports to support:
- early identification of complex chronic conditions
- organisation of patient symptom histories
- reduction of missed patterns
- structured communication during consultations
- guiding appropriate referrals and investigations
ConnectED is not a diagnostic tool.
All results require clinical interpretation and must be integrated with history, examination, and diagnostic testing.
2. Intended Users
- General Practitioners
- Physician Specialists
- Allied Health Clinicians
- Clinical Researchers
- Patients (for self-documentation and communication)
3. What the Model Assesses
The ConnectED questionnaire evaluates six major symptom domains, derived from validated diagnostic criteria, peer-reviewed literature, and patient-reported clustering patterns.
Domains & Definitions
(Aligned with the structure in the sample report)
- Cardiovascular
Includes blood pressure regulation, bleeding tendency, venous integrity, orthostatic symptoms, and family history. - Autonomic / POTS
Includes thermoregulation, sweating abnormalities, palpitations, presyncope, tremor, neuro-sensory overwhelm, exertional intolerance, orthostatic symptoms. - Musculoskeletal / Hypermobility
Includes joint hypermobility patterns, history of dislocations/subluxations, childhood flexibility, hernias, pain, fatigue, exercise response. - Immunology / MCAS-Related Symptoms
Includes allergic-type reactions, flushing, gut reactivity, episodic triggers, lymph node response, dermatologic hypersensitivity, bowel variability. - Neurological / Hormonal / Pain & Fatigue
Includes chronic headaches, fatigue >3 months, menstrual disorders, autoimmune overlap, movement disorders, sleep disturbance. - Dermatological / Connective Tissue Integrity
Includes scarring abnormalities, wound healing, stretch marks, soft/velvety skin, reactions to bites, family history.
Each domain is scored independently, and contributes to the overall likelihood ratings for the three conditions.
4. Model Input
- Patient-reported binary (yes/no) and categorical responses
- No biometric sensors or passive data collection
- No external clinical data is required for report generation
5. Scoring Methodology
a. Evidence-Weighted Question System
Each question is assigned:
- Base value of 1
- Evidence weighting 1–3, based on:
- (1) Internationally accepted diagnostic criteria
- (2) Peer-reviewed research
- (3) Clinically credible but emerging evidence or expert consensus
This reduces response bias and prevents questionnaire “gaming.”
b. Computation
- Raw domain scores → converted to percentage
- Total score = sum of weighted responses
- Domains do not contribute equally; weighting reflects clinical relevance to specific disorders
c. Output Thresholds
(Used in the generated clinical report)
| Classification | Score Range |
|---|---|
| Likely | ≥ 50% |
| Possible | 30–49% |
| Unlikely | < 30% |
These indicate pattern similarity — not probability of disease.
6. Model Output
Each generated report includes:
- Domain-by-domain scoring summary (page 3 of sample report)
- Individual condition likelihood ratings for hEDS, POTS, MCAS
- Explanatory clinical text
- References and hyperlinks
- Full appendix of diagnostic criteria (Beighton, NASA Lean Test, MALMO MAPS)
- Patient’s full answer list (pages 19–23)
The design ensures transparency for clinicians reviewing patient claims.
7. Evidence Base
ConnectED uses a structured evidence hierarchy compiled from:
- International hEDS criteria (2017)
- POTS diagnostic consensus
- MCAS diagnostic frameworks (Afrin, Valent, AAAAI)
- Peer-reviewed literature on connective tissue disorders, dysautonomia, mast cell biology, chronic pain, neuroinflammation
- Large datasets on symptom clustering in hEDS/HSD populations
- Emerging research (e.g., kallikrein gene family variants)
A full bibliography is included in every report (pages 13–14).
8. Limitations
- Self-reported symptoms may be affected by recall bias
- ConnectED does not validate responses against medical records
- Not suitable for children under 12
- No diagnostic capability
- POTS likelihood scoring does not replace orthostatic vital signs
- MCAS scoring does not substitute for lab testing (e.g., tryptase, N-methylhistamine)
9. Ethical Considerations
- Designed to reduce gender bias, diagnostic delay, and clinician confirmation bias
- Presents information neutrally without suggesting diagnosis
- Promotes trauma-informed and neurodivergent-affirming care
- Transparent question logic and accessible patient output
10. Versioning & Updates
Version 3.0 updates include:
- Revised clinical domains
- Updated weighting methodology
- Improved pattern-recognition logic
- Expansion of explanatory text for clinicians
- Integration of latest research (2024–25)