FTC probes Epic Systems antitrust

The U.S. United States — Federal Trade Commission has opened an antitrust investigation into Epic Systems, the privately held electronic health records company that holds medical records for hundreds of millions of Americans. According to two sources familiar with the matter, the FTC has sent investigative demands to other health technology companies seeking information about how Epic grants or withholds data access and interoperability. Epic, based in Verona, Wisconsin, runs the MyChart patient portal and other EHR systems used by providers treating over 280 million people in the U.S. The company already faces lawsuits from the state of United States — Texas and competitor Particle Health, both accusing Epic of anticompetitive practices such as holding data hostage and setting up barriers for rivals. Epic has denied the allegations, stating its products are interoperable and that its healthcare provider customers control access to patient records. The FTC and Epic have not commented on the probe.