Connect to Epic from Medplum Bot

Summary

This video demonstrates how Medplumb integrates with Epic's back-end systems using an open-source implementation. The key features include a server-to-server connection, JWT-based authentication, and Fire API integration, allowing seamless data synchronization between Medplumb and Epic. The tutorial covers connecting to Epic's sandbox, authenticating via JWT, and querying patient data using Medplumb's Epic client. The process is simple, showing how to authenticate and retrieve specific patient data with ease. This is an essential guide for developers looking to connect Medplumb with Epic's systems.

Takeaways

• 😀 Medplumb connects to Epic backend systems through a server-to-server connection, not involving UI components.
• 🔐 Authentication to Epic is handled via a secure JWT (JSON Web Token), which ensures proper server-to-server authentication.
• ⚙️ The Medplumb bot authenticates to Epic using a JWT and makes API calls to query patient data.
• 📡 The system integrates using the standard FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) API, similar to how Medplumb works.
• 🔑 You need to obtain a keystring and client ID from the Epic sandbox environment to authenticate the connection.
• 📝 Once authenticated, the bot constructs a request body, signs the JWT, and connects to the Epic server.
• 💾 After authentication, Medplumb can query specific patient data from the Epic backend system in JSON format.
• 👨‍💻 The Medplumb bot acts as an instantiation of the Medplumb client or SDK, offering similar features to the Medplumb environment.
• 🛠️ The implementation is open-source, allowing developers to explore and customize the code for their use cases.
• 🎯 The example shows how to query a single patient by their ID, demonstrating how Medplumb interfaces with Epic to retrieve data.
• 🎉 This simple 'Hello World' application demonstrates the basic flow of authenticating and querying patient data from Epic using Medplumb.

Q & A

What is the purpose of this integration between Medplumb and Epic?

The integration demonstrates how Medplumb connects to Epic backend systems using a server-to-server connection. It allows for data synchronization between the two platforms, focusing on securely querying patient data using a standard FHIR API.

What type of connection is used in this integration?

The integration uses a server-to-server connection, meaning it does not involve a user interface but instead facilitates automated data transfers directly between servers.

What authentication method is used to connect to the Epic server?

The Medplumb bot authenticates to the Epic server using JSON Web Tokens (JWT), which ensures a secure and validated connection.

Is this integration dependent on any user interface?

No, the integration operates entirely on the server side, meaning there is no user interface involved in this process.

How does Medplumb interact with Epic's system once connected?

Once connected, Medplumb interacts with Epic using the FHIR API, which is a standard for exchanging healthcare information. This allows the Medplumb system to read and synchronize patient data from Epic.

What are the initial steps required to set up the integration with Epic?

First, you need to obtain a `keystring` and `client ID` from Epic's sandbox environment. These credentials are then used to instantiate the Medplumb client and begin the connection process.

What is the purpose of the Nexus token in the integration?

The Nexus token is obtained after authentication and is used to authorize subsequent API requests to the Epic server, enabling data queries and synchronization.

How do you query a specific patient's data from Epic using this integration?

After authentication, you can use the Medplumb client to query a specific patient by ID. The data is returned as a JSON object containing the patient's details.

What does the 'Hello World' application demonstrate in this integration?

The 'Hello World' application demonstrates the basic process of authenticating with Epic, obtaining a Nexus token, and querying a single patient’s data from the Epic system.

What are the similarities between Medplumb's API and Epic's API?

Both Medplumb and Epic use similar features in their APIs, particularly with respect to data synchronization. Epic's API follows the FHIR standard, which is also a core feature of Medplumb, making the integration straightforward.