Judy Gets Her Freakonomics On
Freakonomics recently interviewed Epic Systems CEO Judy Faulkner, during which she highlighted Epic’s claim of offering more APIs than any other EHR vendor. Faulkner explained that data access requires permission from the individual health organization, positioning Epic as a neutral data steward. Critics note that sheer API quantity does not ensure a developer‑friendly experience, as platform design and opaque integration rules can still block third‑party apps. The discussion also hinted at growing antitrust and information‑blocking scrutiny of Epic’s interoperability practices.
ChatGPT for Clinicians: The Trap Sprung
OpenAI unveiled ChatGPT for Clinicians, a free GPT‑5.4‑powered assistant for verified U.S. physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and pharmacists. The tool offers peer‑reviewed literature search, reusable workflow templates such as referral letters and prior authorizations, deep journal research, and built‑in...
Veeva V. Epic: The Arbitration Trap
Veeva Systems sued Epic Systems in Dane County, alleging that Epic’s restrictive‑covenant "Company List" blocks Veeva’s ability to recruit talent. Epic responded with a motion to dismiss, contending Veeva lacks standing and that the case is not ripe because no...
MyChart Unpacked
The author performed a static inspection of Epic’s MyChart Android application package, uncovering roughly 250 custom deep‑link URLs that route users directly to specific screens. By decompiling the APK, the analysis reveals a richer feature set than the typical web‑based...
The Great Beheading Begins
Salesforce unveiled "Headless 360," an architectural overhaul that turns every feature of its 27‑year‑old platform into APIs, command‑line tools, or micro‑service endpoints. The move enables autonomous AI agents to execute tasks across the CRM without ever opening a browser. Industry...
CMS-0062: An Intra-Agency Cold War Goes Hot
CMS issued two conflicting rules within three weeks, each designating a different HIPAA standard for attaching clinical documentation to payer‑provider transactions. On March 20, 2026, CMS‑0053 finalized X12N 275 as the standard for claim attachments, a long‑awaited adoption. Ten days later, CMS‑0062...
A Health Gorilla Default?
Health Gorilla faces a potential default after plaintiff Ricky Lott filed a motion for entry of default in the Lott v. Health Gorilla class action. The original complaint was served on March 18, giving the company until April 9 to...
A Big Data Grab in Federal Health
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued a notice seeking detailed, monthly health‑claims data from the 65 private insurers that administer the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program. The request covers diagnoses, prescriptions, provider information and rebate details for...
Veeva V. Epic: Kicking the Can in Dane County
Veeva filed a robust opposition to Epic Systems’ motion to dismiss, targeting the enforceability of Epic’s equity clawback, non‑compete provisions, and arbitration clauses. The response leaned heavily on a Wisconsin "in terrorem" theory, arguing that the clawback itself deters competition...
How Interoperability Won on the Farm
John Deere agreed to a $99 million settlement that resolves a class‑action antitrust suit over its right‑to‑repair practices. The deal obligates Deere to make its full‑function diagnostic and repair software available to farmers and independent shops for a decade, replacing the...
Epic’s New Networks
Epic quietly announced two network‑based products that extend its electronic health record platform beyond traditional modules like Agent Factory or Penny. The new offerings focus on creating a shared data exchange layer, positioning Epic as a hub for interoperable health...
The Scrapers At MyChart's Gate
Fan Pier Labs released an open‑source MyChart connector that automates login, 2FA, and exposes 35+ tools to read and write patient data via the web UI. Unlike official FHIR APIs, it can perform any action a patient can, including messaging providers and...
Building the Anti-Epic Regulatory Machine
FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson announced a new Healthcare Task Force that merges the Bureaus of Competition, Consumer Protection, Economics and the Offices of Policy Planning and Technology. The effort implements President Trump’s February 2025 executive order to boost competition,...
The ELU Multiverse Expands
Two new class‑action lawsuits have been filed that closely echo Epic Systems’ earlier litigation tactics, targeting Health Gorilla and its network partners after a massive data breach. The first case, Lott v. Health Gorilla, was lodged by an Illinois plaintiff...
Epic V. Health Gorilla: GuardDog Folds
Epic Systems secured a stipulated judgment and permanent injunction against GuardDog Telehealth in its lawsuit with Health Gorilla. GuardDog admitted its business model involved requesting and summarizing medical records via the Carequality and TEFCA interoperability frameworks under the guise of...
Everything’s Bigger in Texas (Pleading Standard Edition)
The Texas Attorney General filed an opposition to Epic’s motion to dismiss, arguing that Epic cannot import federal summary‑judgment standards into a state‑court pleading under Texas Rule 91a. The brief emphasizes that Epic’s reliance on a patchwork of federal cases...
Interoperability, Half Finished
The article highlights e‑prescribing’s rapid national rollout, which eliminated paper scripts and enabled direct provider‑to‑pharmacy transmission. However, critical gaps remain: pharmacies cannot share real‑time inventory data, and pharmacy‑to‑pharmacy transfers still rely on fax and phone calls. The author’s personal experience—an...
The First Payer Jumped
Clover Health announced it is the first payer to go live on a CMS‑aligned health information exchange network, marking a tangible step toward nationwide interoperability. The rollout enables Medicare Advantage members to retrieve claims and clinical data through FHIR‑based APIs,...
Epic's First Pharma Deal
Epic Systems announced its first pharmaceutical customer, Eli Lilly, for the newly launched Epic Discovery platform. The deal marks the inaugural sale of a Health Grid product to a life‑sciences firm, allowing Lilly to streamline clinical trial creation, site identification, activation,...
Texas V. Epic: Market Definition and Whataburger Edition
Texas filed its antitrust suit against Epic Systems in state court to avoid federal consolidation and the stricter Twombly/Iqbal pleading standards. Epic’s motion to dismiss challenges the state’s market definition, arguing that the split between acute‑care and academic hospital EHR...
The State Shows Its Hand
Texas has filed its Required Initial Disclosures in the antitrust lawsuit against Epic Systems, revealing a 12‑category disclosure regime that exceeds the federal FRCP 26 standard. The State’s witness list includes senior Epic executives, technical leaders, recruiting staff, several Epic‑using health...
The Most Interesting FHIR You've Never Heard Of
The episode dives into Epic's recent rollout of twelve new FHIR APIs tailored for radiation oncology, highlighting how these modern interfaces support the CodeX Exchange of Radiotherapy Summaries Implementation Guide. It explains the distinct nature of radiation oncology—focused on precise...
The Product Mendoza Line
In this episode the host examines Epic’s decade‑long migration from its legacy thick‑client UI, Hyperspace, to the modern web‑based Hyperdrive, using the "Mendoza Line" metaphor to discuss product success thresholds. The discussion highlights the massive technical and organizational effort involved,...
Home Court Disadvantaged?
The episode examines Epic Systems' recent courtroom setback in the CureIS litigation, focusing on the court's denial of a motion to stay discovery and the nuanced protective order regarding "Highly Confidential – Attorneys' Eyes Only" information. It highlights how Epic's...
The Fight for Payer Control Points
The episode explains InterSystems' new Payer Connector, clarifying that it is not a rival to Epic's Payer Platform but a complementary integration layer that helps payers connect Epic's standardized edge to their fragmented internal systems. It highlights the challenges payers...
Epic in the Crosshairs
The episode recaps the ASTP Annual Meeting, highlighting its role as the premier gathering for health‑tech and interoperability stakeholders and noting the scarcity of concrete announcements. The most significant insight came from a surprise panel on Information Blocking featuring the...