How to Obtain the FHIR Discovery Document in AWS HealthLake
Fetching the SMART on FHIR Discovery Document - AWS HealthLake
Summary
Client applications must obtain a 'Discovery Document' to learn the authorization endpoints and features supported by an AWS HealthLake data store. This knowledge is essential for making successful FHIR REST requests to HealthLake.
Details
This article details the technical procedure for sending FHIR REST requests using AWS HealthLake. The focus is on obtaining the 'Discovery Document,' which allows clients to understand the authorization requirements of the data store. The document provides critical information, such as the URLs for authentication (`authorization_endpoint`) and token acquisition (`token_endpoint`), along with the data store's capabilities (e.g., `launch-ehr`, `client-public`). This information is delivered in JSON format. The process involves constructing a specific URL using the region and datastore ID, followed by sending an AWS Signature Version 4 signed GET request. This mechanism enables clients to establish the appropriate authentication flow required by HealthLake, thereby identifying the necessary authorization and token endpoints for application launch. This serves as a crucial technical foundation for achieving standardized access management and security in FHIR-based system integrations.
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