Search index not updated after PUT (stale results for custom SearchParameters)

[oeme-github]

Summary

After a successful PUT on a Consent resource, Spark does not update the search index for custom SearchParameters. Subsequent searches return stale results — the resource is still returned even though the indexed field has been changed to a non-matching value.

This affects both single-provision and multi-provision Consent resources.

Environment

• Spark version: sparkfhir/spark:r4-latest (Docker image)
• FHIR version: R4
• Backend: MongoDB 7.0
• Test tool: Newman 6.2.2

Steps to reproduce

1. Register a custom SearchParameter

{
  "resourceType": "SearchParameter",
  "id": "mii-sp-consent-provisioncodetype",
  "url": "https://www.medizininformatik-initiative.de/fhir/modul-consent/SearchParameter/mii-sp-consent-provisioncodetype",
  "status": "active",
  "code": "mii-provision-provision-code-type",
  "base": ["Consent"],
  "type": "composite",
  "expression": "Consent.provision.provision",
  "component": [
    {
      "definition": "https://www.medizininformatik-initiative.de/fhir/modul-consent/SearchParameter/mii-sp-consent-provisioncode",
      "expression": "code"
    },
    {
      "definition": "https://www.medizininformatik-initiative.de/fhir/modul-consent/SearchParameter/mii-sp-consent-provisiontype",
      "expression": "type"
    }
  ]
}

(The component SPs are available here: https://github.com/oeme-github/consent-test-suite/tree/main/infrastructure/searchparameters)

2. Create a Consent with a nested provision (type=permit, code=.3.7)

PUT /fhir/Consent/test-consent-001

{
  "resourceType": "Consent",
  "id": "test-consent-001",
  "status": "active",
  "scope": { "coding": [{ "system": "http://terminology.hl7.org/CodeSystem/consentscope", "code": "research" }] },
  "category": [{ "coding": [{ "system": "http://loinc.org", "code": "57016-8" }] }],
  "patient": { "reference": "Patient/test-patient-001" },
  "policy": [{ "uri": "urn:oid:2.16.840.1.113883.3.1937.777.24.2.1791" }],
  "provision": {
    "type": "deny",
    "provision": [
      {
        "type": "permit",
        "code": [{ "coding": [{ "system": "urn:oid:2.16.840.1.113883.3.1937.777.24.5.3", "code": "urn:oid:2.16.840.1.113883.3.1937.777.24.5.3.7" }] }]
      }
    ]
  }
}

3. Verify the resource is found

GET /fhir/Consent?patient=Patient/test-patient-001&mii-provision-provision-code-type=urn:oid:2.16.840.1.113883.3.1937.777.24.5.3|urn:oid:2.16.840.1.113883.3.1937.777.24.5.3.7$permit

→ Returns total: 1 ✅

4. Update the Consent — change provision type from permit to deny

PUT /fhir/Consent/test-consent-001

(same body as above, but with "type": "deny" on the nested provision)

→ 200 OK ✅

5. Search again — expect 0 results

GET /fhir/Consent?patient=Patient/test-patient-001&mii-provision-provision-code-type=urn:oid:2.16.840.1.113883.3.1937.777.24.5.3|urn:oid:2.16.840.1.113883.3.1937.777.24.5.3.7$permit

→ Returns total: 1 ❌ (expected: total: 0)

The resource is still returned even though the indexed field now has type: deny.

Observed behaviour

The search index is not updated after PUT. The stale value persists indefinitely — no subsequent search reflects the change. This also affects _refresh=true (no effect).

Expected behaviour

After a successful PUT, the search index must reflect the new resource state. Searches must not return resources that no longer match the search criteria.

Comparison with other servers

We tested the same scenario against HAPI FHIR v7.4.0 and Blaze 1.9.0:

Server	Single-Provision PUT	Notes
HAPI v7.4.0	✅	Stale index only for multi-provision Consents
Blaze 1.9.0	✅	Correctly reindexed
Spark r4-latest	❌	Stale even for single-provision Consents

Test suite

This issue was discovered while running the MII Consent Test Suite, specifically test case TC-UPDATE-001. The full test collection is available for reproduction.

Related upstream reports:

• HAPI (multi-provision variant): hapifhir/hapi-fhir#8104