Internet Browser Allowlist
Connect Care clinical content may include link-outs to supplemental information accessed via Internet links (URLs). These links should be managed with the Health Evidence Exchange (HEE) tool that AHS uses to ensure that stable links are embedded in Connect Care, always directing to the HEE Link Manager, which then redirects to the best available Internet resource for the requested link.
It is important for Builders to additionally understand how Epic's "Allowlist" (called "WhiteList" before Epicare 2020) can affect resource and evidence links. Currently, only the Browser AllowList applies to Internet link-outs in the Connect Care build.
Browser Allowlist
The Browser Allowlist constitutes a simple listing of all Internet addresses (URLs) or domains that will be permitted to resolve and display content for Hyperspace users. When a link (as may be found in Dashboards, documentation templates, order sets, best practice advisories, navigators, etc.) is activated by a user (click or hover), the Internet address is checked against the Allowlist:
If found, the requested Internet resource will show in an Internet browser popup Window or within an Internet Explorer ActiveX session embedded in a Hyperspace activity tab.
If not found, a message is posted to the user to the effect that the link is not allowed.
The Allowlist function works in one of two modes:
Learn Mode: All links are resolved (allowed) and all new links not previously encountered are added to the AllowList. Learn Mode always has an end-date (when it automatically reverts to Monitor Mode) and so must be re-set every 3 months. Connect Care has adopted Learn Mode as its norm while intense design, development and optimization occurs in support of early launch waves.
Monitor Mode: All links are checked and only those on the AllowList are resolved and displayed for the user.
The Allowlist checks all sites and actions embedded in Hyperspace that are launched in a separate Window, including:
Action Links - Performing special internal actions in Hyperspace, such as launching a particular navigator or activity (e.g., Best Practice Advisory link to a relevant ordering action).
Navigation Internet Links - Redirecting users to Internet resources (e.g., websites) that will display in a Hyperspace activity tab.
Browser Internet Links - Redirecting users to Internet resources (e.g., websites) that will display in a popup Internet browser window.
Primary and Secondary Internet Links
The Internet address (URL) embedded in Connect Care clinical content (documentation, decision and inquiry supports) is considered a "Primary" link. This is the link that is requested when the user first takes action (e.g., click, hover, tap). The associated Internet resource is first sought in a Hyperspace browser activity (Navigation Link) or a new Internet browser window (Browser Link). The retrieved resource may have additional "Secondary" links for navigating to related information.
When in Monitor Mode, the Allowlist function checks both primary and secondary Internet Addresses for Navigation Links launched within Hyperspace. Allowlist monitors the Primary, but not Secondary, link for Browser Links launched in a new Internet browser window.
Allowlist and Health Evidence Exchange
The Health Evidence Exchange link manager domain ("ahsweb.ca") is already added to the Connect Care Allowlist. Hyperspace will allow clinical content Internet Links to resolve the Primary Link. The HEE will then redirect to a Secondary Link, which is the intended Internet Resource. To take advantage of HEE, and avoid a bottleneck of a duplicate pathway for getting secondary links approved, Builders should always configure Internet Resource links as Browser Internet Links. Both Action and Navigation Hyperspace links cannot take full advantage of HEE efficiencies.