Epic Curbs Rival Apps' Access to Hospital Data — SkimNews
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- Epic collects more than $6.5 billion in annual revenue, wins the lion’s share of new hospital contracts and holds data on some 8 in 10 Americans.
- STAT found that Epic selectively withheld access to patient data, disadvantaging rival software tools and leaving Epic’s own products unchallenged.
- Executives at 12 companies showcased on Epic’s app marketplace told STAT that Epic undercut their businesses by denying access to crucial data interfaces and technical specifications, spreading negative rumors about their products and charging high fees for access.
- Epic says it provides more connections to its data than federal law requires and has won praise from many hospital customers for its support of them.
- Some hospital executives and app developers converged on the complaint that Epic’s growing market power is blocking adoption of the software products they consider most beneficial.
Why it matters: Epic holds data on some 8 in 10 Americans and controls access to hospital patient data needed by many health-software tools. The 12 showcased companies’ complaints show how that control shifts market power toward Epic’s own products and away from outside developers, with some beneficial software blocked from hospital adoption.
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