# Monolithic vs modular care flow design
URL: https://docs.awellhealth.com/docs/design-care-flows/monolithic-vs-modular-care-flow-design

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.awellhealth.com/llms.txt).



Where the boundaries go is worth deciding deliberately: how much to fit into each track, and when to
break care apart into separate care flows.

The right split depends on the care process and the organization running it.

## Start small, launch early [#start-small-launch-early]

A care flow is how a care process improves continuously, and a design in Studio may not work as intended
once patients are in it.

So deliver a smaller flow sooner and expand it, which surfaces what works for the organization and its
patients early rather than after three months of building.

## Split tracks by intended use [#split-tracks-by-intended-use]

Group into a track the activities that serve one purpose and tend to change together. A track that
does two unrelated jobs is two tracks; fifteen tracks with one step each is fewer tracks.

Group by one of these:

* **By phase of care.** Diagnosis, treatment, follow-up.
* **By set of activities.** Data collection, information sharing, care delivery.
* **By what repeats.** Anything on its own cycle, like a monthly check-in, usually wants its own
  track. See [track looping](/docs/design-care-flows/track-looping).

## Separate care flows when a process has its own start condition, population or lifecycle [#separate-care-flows-when-a-process-has-its-own-start-condition-population-or-lifecycle]

Where the parts share a patient journey and need to see each other's data, keep them in one care flow.

Splitting means data doesn't flow freely between the separate care flows; not splitting means a flow
nobody can read.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

**Next:** [Tips for building faster](/docs/design-care-flows/the-fast-lane-to-efficient-building).