How to Use Auth0 as an Identity Broker for Epic SMART on FHIR Without Losing Context
Integrating Epic's SMART on FHIR authentication through Auth0 is more complex than a standard enterprise identity provider connection, according to a practical guide published on DEV Community. Unlike typical OIDC setups, SMART on FHIR carries additional context — including the FHIR server endpoint, patient or encounter data, and specific access scopes — that Auth0 does not automatically preserve. The integration involves three distinct relationships: between the application and Auth0, between Auth0 and Epic, and between Epic's access token and the FHIR API. Key failure points include SMART launch parameters such as 'iss' and 'launch' being dropped in transit, Epic's SMART discovery document differing from standard OIDC auto-discovery, and the Epic access token not reaching the backend unless explicitly retrieved. Teams must treat the flow as three separate, deliberately configured hops rather than a single login handoff to ensure the integration works correctly beyond an initial demo.
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