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

# Participant Pathways

> Define schedules of activities for the participant journey

Participant pathways define the structured sequence of data collection activities that participants complete throughout the study. Pathways are the schedule of activities (SoA) implemented as actionable templates.

## What are Pathways?

A pathway is a template that defines:

* Which questionnaires to complete
* When to complete them (visits, time points)
* The order of activities
* Optional conditional logic

## Pathway Structure

Pathways organize activities into logical groups:

### Visits or Time Points

Activities grouped by study visit:

* Screening Visit
* Baseline Visit
* Week 4 Visit
* End of Study Visit

### Activity Types

| Type              | Description                      |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------- |
| **Questionnaire** | Data collection form (CRF)       |
| **Task**          | Non-data-collection activity     |
| **Signature**     | Electronic signature requirement |

## Creating Pathways

See [Pathway Templates](/templates/pathway-templates) for creating reusable pathway templates, and [Pathway Versioning](/study-design/pathway-versioning) for the Draft / Testing / Approved / Retired lifecycle used to manage pathway revisions within a study.

### Study-Specific Pathways

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to Study Design">
    Open Study Design > Pathways.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add or Import Pathway">
    Create a new pathway or import from a template.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Structure">
    Add visits/groups and activities.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set Timing">
    Configure time windows for each activity.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Save the pathway for use in the study.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Pathway Assignment

### During Enrollment

Select the pathway when creating a participant:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add Participant">
    Start the enrollment process.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Pathway">
    Choose from available pathways.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create">
    The pathway generates scheduled activities.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Arm-Specific Pathways

Different arms can use different pathways:

* Control arm: Standard observation pathway
* Treatment arm: Intervention-specific pathway

Configure arm-pathway associations in study design.

## Pathway Progress

Track participant progress through the pathway:

| Indicator       | Description                 |
| --------------- | --------------------------- |
| **Completed**   | Activity finished           |
| **In Progress** | Activity started            |
| **Due**         | Activity within time window |
| **Upcoming**    | Future activity             |
| **Overdue**     | Past time window            |

## Conditional Activities

Activities can be conditional:

* Based on answers to previous questionnaires
* Based on participant status
* Based on arm assignment

<Accordion title="Configuring Conditions">
  In the pathway editor, select an activity and add conditions. Activities only appear when conditions are met.
</Accordion>

## Modifying Participant Pathways

Individual participant pathways can be modified:

### Adding Activities

Add unscheduled activities:

* Ad-hoc questionnaires
* Unplanned visits
* Additional assessments

### Skipping Activities

Mark activities as skipped with a reason:

* Missed visit
* Not applicable
* Participant declined

<Warning>
  Document reasons for all pathway modifications. These appear in the audit trail.
</Warning>

## Repeating Activities

Some activities may repeat:

* Periodic assessments
* Multiple treatment cycles
* Ongoing monitoring

Configure repetition rules in the pathway template.

## Pathway Reports

Generate reports on pathway completion:

| Report                 | Description                        |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| **Completion Rate**    | Percentage of activities completed |
| **Overdue Activities** | Activities past their window       |
| **Missing Data**       | Incomplete questionnaires          |

## Best Practices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Match Protocol SoA">
    Design pathways to match your protocol's schedule of activities exactly.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Realistic Time Windows">
    Set time windows that reflect actual clinical practice.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Clear Activity Names">
    Use descriptive names that site staff will understand.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Test Before Use">
    Test pathways with test participants before enrolling real participants.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Pathway Templates" icon="route" href="/templates/pathway-templates">
    Create reusable pathway templates.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Participant Status" icon="circle-check" href="/participants/participant-status">
    Status transitions along the pathway.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>