ConditionalRecommendation

Medical recommendations that apply only when specific population criteria or clinical conditions are met, enabling complex AND/OR logic, risk stratification, and prioritized action lists.

Canonical URL: https://healthschema.org/ConditionalRecommendation

Namespace: hs:

Category: Conditional Recommendations

Properties

Properties from ConditionalRecommendation (in addition to properties inherited from Intangible and Thing):

Property	Expected Type	Description
name	Text	Name of the recommendation set
applicablePopulation	PopulationCriteria	Defines who this recommendation applies to through multiple criteria
riskLevel	RiskAssessment	Risk level for this population
recommendations	PrioritizedRecommendation	Ordered list of prioritized actions
expectedOutcome	Text	What happens with or without intervention
criticalInsight	Text	Key clinical insight for this population
clinicalImplication	Text	What a practitioner should do differently based on this recommendation

Examples

Example 1: Simple Conditional Recommendation

A basic implementation with straightforward criteria:

JSON-LD

{
  "@context": [
    "https://schema.org",
    {
      "hs": "https://healthschema.org/",
      "ConditionalRecommendation": "hs:ConditionalRecommendation",
      "PopulationCriteria": "hs:PopulationCriteria",
      "PopulationCharacteristic": "hs:PopulationCharacteristic",
      "RiskAssessment": "hs:RiskAssessment",
      "PrioritizedRecommendation": "hs:PrioritizedRecommendation"
    }
  ],
  "@type": "ConditionalRecommendation",
  "name": "Statin Therapy for High Cardiovascular Risk",
  "applicablePopulation": {
    "@type": "PopulationCriteria",
    "mustMatchAll": false,
    "criteria": [
      {
        "@type": "PopulationCharacteristic",
        "characteristic": "Age 40-75 years",
        "operator": "OR"
      },
      {
        "@type": "PopulationCharacteristic",
        "characteristic": "Previous cardiovascular event",
        "operator": "OR"
      }
    ]
  },
  "riskLevel": {
    "@type": "RiskAssessment",
    "level": "High"
  },
  "recommendations": [
    {
      "@type": "PrioritizedRecommendation",
      "priority": 1,
      "urgency": "Initiate within 1 month",
      "category": "Pharmacotherapy",
      "actions": [
        {
          "@type": "MedicalTherapy",
          "name": "Moderate to high-intensity statin"
        }
      ],
      "rationale": "Reduces cardiovascular events by 25-35%"
    }
  ]
}

Example 2: High-Risk GLP-1 Hair Loss Prevention Protocol

A comprehensive example with complex criteria, risk stratification, and prioritized interventions:

JSON-LD

{
  "@context": [
    "https://schema.org",
    {
      "hs": "https://healthschema.org/",
      "ConditionalRecommendation": "hs:ConditionalRecommendation",
      "PopulationCriteria": "hs:PopulationCriteria",
      "PopulationCharacteristic": "hs:PopulationCharacteristic",
      "LabValueCriterion": "hs:LabValueCriterion",
      "ClinicalCriterion": "hs:ClinicalCriterion",
      "RiskAssessment": "hs:RiskAssessment",
      "PrioritizedRecommendation": "hs:PrioritizedRecommendation",
      "MonitoringProtocol": "hs:MonitoringProtocol"
    }
  ],
  "@type": "ConditionalRecommendation",
  "name": "High-Risk Population Hair Loss Prevention Protocol",
  "description": "Comprehensive preventive strategy for patients at elevated risk of GLP-1-associated hair loss",
  "applicablePopulation": {
    "@type": "PopulationCriteria",
    "mustMatchAll": false,
    "criteria": [
      {
        "@type": "PopulationCharacteristic",
        "characteristic": "BMI greater than 35",
        "operator": "OR",
        "rationale": "Higher starting weight correlates with more rapid weight loss and greater metabolic stress"
      },
      {
        "@type": "PopulationCharacteristic",
        "characteristic": "Planned or actual weight loss exceeding 2kg per week",
        "operator": "OR",
        "rationale": "Rapid weight loss is primary trigger for telogen effluvium"
      },
      {
        "@type": "PopulationCharacteristic",
        "characteristic": "Pre-existing hair thinning or previous telogen effluvium",
        "operator": "OR",
        "rationale": "History indicates follicular susceptibility to stress"
      },
      {
        "@type": "PopulationCharacteristic",
        "characteristic": "Female gender and perimenopausal or postmenopausal status",
        "operator": "OR",
        "rationale": "Hormonal changes compound metabolic stress on follicles"
      },
      {
        "@type": "LabValueCriterion",
        "test": "Serum ferritin",
        "value": 30,
        "comparator": "LessThan",
        "unitText": "ng/mL",
        "rationale": "Low iron stores unable to support increased demands during rapid metabolic change"
      }
    ],
    "optionalRiskAmplifiers": [
      {
        "@type": "ClinicalCriterion",
        "characteristic": "Vegan or restrictive diet",
        "impactOnRisk": "Increases risk due to limited protein and micronutrient intake"
      },
      {
        "@type": "ClinicalCriterion",
        "characteristic": "History of eating disorders",
        "impactOnRisk": "May indicate difficulty maintaining adequate nutrition during appetite suppression"
      },
      {
        "@type": "ClinicalCriterion",
        "characteristic": "Family history of telogen effluvium",
        "impactOnRisk": "Suggests genetic predisposition to stress-induced shedding"
      }
    ]
  },
  "riskLevel": {
    "@type": "RiskAssessment",
    "level": "Very High",
    "quantification": {
      "@type": "QuantitativeValue",
      "value": "75-90",
      "unitText": "percent probability of significant hair shedding without intervention"
    },
    "description": "Patients meeting two or more criteria have markedly elevated risk. Those with three or more criteria approach near-certainty of noticeable hair loss."
  },
  "recommendations": [
    {
      "@type": "PrioritizedRecommendation",
      "priority": 1,
      "urgency": "Begin immediately, ideally 2-4 weeks before GLP-1 initiation",
      "category": "Nutritional optimization",
      "actions": [
        {
          "@type": "LifestyleModification",
          "name": "High-protein diet",
          "description": "Minimum 1.2g protein per kg ideal body weight, increasing to 1.5g during rapid loss phase"
        },
        {
          "@type": "DietarySupplement",
          "name": "Comprehensive micronutrient support",
          "description": "Iron (if ferritin <50ng/mL), biotin 5000mcg, zinc 15mg, vitamin D, B-complex"
        }
      ],
      "rationale": "Nutritional optimization before metabolic stress begins provides buffer against deficiency. Protein is rate-limiting substrate for keratin synthesis."
    },
    {
      "@type": "PrioritizedRecommendation",
      "priority": 2,
      "urgency": "Initiate within first month of GLP-1 treatment",
      "category": "Regenerative therapy",
      "actions": [
        {
          "@type": "MedicalProcedure",
          "name": "PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) therapy",
          "description": "Initial series of 3-4 treatments at 4-6 week intervals"
        },
        {
          "@type": "MedicalProcedure",
          "name": "Optional: Combine with iPRF (Injectable Platelet-Rich Fibrin)",
          "description": "For patients with multiple risk factors or very high BMI"
        }
      ],
      "rationale": "PRP provides growth factors supporting follicle health during metabolic stress. Starting early maximizes protective effect. Data from bariatric patients shows 60-70% reduction in shedding severity."
    },
    {
      "@type": "PrioritizedRecommendation",
      "priority": 3,
      "urgency": "Ongoing throughout weight loss phase",
      "category": "Monitoring and adjustment",
      "actions": [
        {
          "@type": "MonitoringProtocol",
          "frequency": "Every 4-6 weeks",
          "metrics": [
            "Rate of weight loss (target <2kg per week)",
            "Serum ferritin (maintain >50ng/mL)",
            "Subjective hair shedding reports",
            "Visual scalp density assessment"
          ],
          "escalationCriteria": "If weight loss exceeds 2.5kg per week or ferritin drops below 30ng/mL despite supplementation, consider additional PRP session or consult with prescribing physician about dose adjustment"
        }
      ],
      "rationale": "Regular monitoring enables early intervention if parameters drift into high-risk territory"
    },
    {
      "@type": "PrioritizedRecommendation",
      "priority": 4,
      "urgency": "Consider if shedding begins despite preventive measures",
      "category": "Additional interventions",
      "actions": [
        {
          "@type": "MedicalTherapy",
          "name": "Topical minoxidil 5%",
          "description": "Applied to affected areas once or twice daily"
        },
        {
          "@type": "MedicalProcedure",
          "name": "Low-level laser therapy (LLLT)",
          "description": "Home device or in-office treatments 3x weekly"
        }
      ],
      "rationale": "If shedding emerges despite optimal nutrition and PRP, these adjunct therapies can further support follicle function and accelerate recovery"
    }
  ],
  "expectedOutcome": "With full protocol adherence, high-risk patients typically experience 50-70% reduction in shedding severity compared to no intervention, with faster recovery (12-15 months vs 18-24 months to baseline). Some may avoid noticeable shedding entirely.",
  "criticalInsight": "The window for maximum benefit is BEFORE significant shedding begins. Once widespread telogen shift occurs, interventions can only support recovery, not prevent the initial shedding. This makes early identification and proactive treatment essential for high-risk populations."
}

Usage Notes

When to Use ConditionalRecommendation

Use ConditionalRecommendation when your content provides:

Population-specific guidance — Recommendations that apply only to certain patient groups
Complex criteria logic — When multiple conditions must be evaluated with AND/OR logic
Risk stratification — When risk level determines which interventions are appropriate
Prioritized action lists — When order and urgency of interventions matters
Clinical decision trees — When content guides stepwise decision-making

When to Use Schema.org Instead

Do NOT use ConditionalRecommendation for simple indications. Use standard schema.org types:

Simple indications — Use MedicalIndication type
Contraindications — Use MedicalContraindication type
Universal recommendations — Use MedicalGuideline type
Single-criterion decisions — Use standard schema.org properties

Common Patterns

AND vs. OR Logic

The mustMatchAll property controls how criteria combine:

true — ALL criteria must be met (AND logic) - use for strict eligibility
false — ANY criterion qualifies (OR logic) - use for identifying high-risk populations

You can combine both by nesting PopulationCriteria objects for complex logic like "(A AND B) OR (C AND D)".

Risk Amplifiers

Use optionalRiskAmplifiers for factors that increase risk but aren't required for the recommendation to apply. These help clinicians:

Identify patients who need even more intensive intervention
Understand why some patients respond differently
Personalize the approach within the protocol

Best Practices

Explain rationale — Include rationale for each criterion and recommendation to support clinical reasoning
Prioritize clearly — Use priority numbers and urgency descriptions to guide action sequence
Categorize actions — Use category to group similar interventions (nutritional, pharmacological, etc.)
Quantify risk — Include quantification in RiskAssessment when data exists
Set expectations — Use expectedOutcome to establish realistic goals
Provide monitoring — Include MonitoringProtocol for ongoing care
Highlight critical insights — Use criticalInsight for key clinical pearls

Related Types

Health Schema Types

Schema.org Types

MedicalIndication — Use for simple indications
MedicalGuideline — Use for general guidance
MedicalTherapy — Use within recommendations
MedicalProcedure — Use for procedural interventions
LifestyleModification — Use for behavioral changes

ConditionalRecommendation

Properties

Examples

Example 1: Simple Conditional Recommendation

Example 2: High-Risk GLP-1 Hair Loss Prevention Protocol

Usage Notes

When to Use ConditionalRecommendation

When to Use Schema.org Instead

Common Patterns

AND vs. OR Logic

Risk Amplifiers

Best Practices

Related Types

Health Schema Types

PopulationCriteria

PopulationCharacteristic

LabValueCriterion

RiskAssessment

PrioritizedRecommendation

MonitoringProtocol

MultifactorialCondition

Schema.org Types