Overview
Gain programmatic access to your Cerner instance to streamline clinical and administrative workflows. Our Cerner connector utilizes the SMART on FHIR standard to securely read and write data, enabling you to build custom integrations that break down data silos. Sync patient demographics, appointments, encounters, medications, and other clinical data with third-party applications like CRMs, patient engagement platforms, or analytics tools. Automate processes that depend on timely EHR data, reduce reliance on manual chart reviews, and ensure data consistency across systems.
Capability summary
Authentication
Auth method: OAuth 2.0 (SMART on FHIR)
Required scopes
patient/Patient.read
patient/Appointment.read
patient/Appointment.write
patient/DocumentReference.read
patient/DocumentReference.write
patient/Account.read
patient/Account.write
launch
online_access
Supported objects
| Object | Read | Write | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients | Yes | Yes | Represents patient demographic and administrative data (FHIR Patient resource). |
| Appointments | Yes | Yes | Represents patient appointments and scheduling information (FHIR Appointment resource). |
| Clinical Documents | Yes | Yes | Represents clinical notes, summaries, and other documents (FHIR DocumentReference resource). |
| Billing Records | Yes | Yes | Represents patient financial and billing accounts (FHIR Account resource). |
Supported actions
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Retrieve Patient Data | Retrieve a patient's demographic and clinical data using their unique FHIR ID. |
| Create Appointment | Create a new appointment for a specified patient, date, and time. |
| Update Billing Information | Create, retrieve, or modify a patient's billing account information. |
| New Clinical Document Created | Triggers a flow when a new clinical document (e.g., a progress note or lab result) is created for a patient. |
Setup steps
1. Register a SMART on FHIR Application
- Log in to the Cerner Developer Portal (code.cerner.com).
- Navigate to the "My Apps" section and create a new application.
- Select "SMART on FHIR" as the application type.
- Fill in the required application details, such as the name and description.
2. Configure Scopes and Redirect URIs
- In your application settings, define the necessary clinical scopes (e.g.,
patient/Patient.read,patient/Appointment.write). - Add the Flows360 redirect URI to the list of authorized redirect URIs. The URI will be provided to you in the Flows360 connection panel.
3. Obtain Credentials
- Once the application is registered and configured, Cerner will issue a Client ID and Client Secret.
- Securely copy these credentials.
4. Connect in Flows360
- Navigate to the "Connectors" page in Flows360 and select Cerner.
- Enter the Client ID and Client Secret obtained from the Cerner Developer Portal.
- Authorize the connection. You will be redirected to a Cerner login screen to grant the application access to your account.
Limitations
- API rate limits may apply based on your Cerner subscription tier and specific tenant configuration.
- Access to certain data fields or patient records may be restricted by the permissions granted to the connected application and the access level of the authenticating user.
- The connector adheres to the FHIR standards (e.g., DSTU2, R4) supported by your specific Cerner instance. Compatibility and available resources may vary.
- Real-time data synchronization for certain events depends on the configuration of webhooks (FHIR subscriptions) in your Cerner environment.
Troubleshooting
Why am I unable to access a specific patient's record?
This is often due to insufficient permissions. Ensure your SMART on FHIR application has been granted access to the required patient-level scopes (e.g., patient/Patient.read) and that the user authenticating the connection has the necessary access rights within Cerner. Also, verify you are using the correct patient ID for your FHIR query.
I am receiving a `401 Unauthorized` error. What should I do?
This error indicates a problem with your authentication credentials.n1. Verify that your Client ID and Client Secret are correct in the Flows360 connection settings.n2. Ensure your access token has not expired. You may need to re-authenticate the connection to obtain a new one.n3. Confirm that the token URL in your configuration is correct for your specific Cerner FHIR instance.