FTC investigating Epic Systems over potential antitrust violations
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched a probe into the business practices of Epic Systems, the largest electronic health record vendor, specifically looking into claims that the company unlawfully controls access to its wealth of patient data.
The investigation was revealed by Reuters, citing “two sources familiar with the matter.”
Epic, which has records on more than 300 million living and deceased patients, is supposed to allow other tech companies working in patient care to gain access to its data, as its comprehensive records are necessary to facilitate the best outcomes.
However, the FTC is concerned the company may be blocking integration. According to Reuters, the agency has been sending letters to other health IT companies, demanding a response to questions about how Epic data is shared with them and others.
If Epic is building walls, given its dominant market position, that could be a violation of federal antitrust laws.
In a statement, a spokesperson with the Wisconsin-based company denied any wrongdoing.
"We're leaders in interoperability to support patient care, and we do not engage in anticompetitive behavior," the spokesperson told Reuters.
The FTC declined the outlet’s request for comment.
Some 280 million Americans currently rely on Epic, with the company’s services in some form touching the lives of—and gathering data on—nearly every person who lives in the country.
As Reuters noted, this isn’t the first time the EHR vendor has come under scrutiny. Last year, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit, accusing Epic of hoarding data and crushing competitors through data restrictions and excessive fees.
That lawsuit is still pending.
For more, read the full Reuters report at the link below.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.