Epic calls for transparency in patient data dispute vs. Particle Health
WISCONSIN, UNITED STATES — Electronic health records (EHR) giant Epic is calling for Carequality and Particle Health to publicly release details of their ongoing patient privacy dispute.
This move comes in response to what Epic claims are mischaracterizations by Particle Health in its recent antitrust lawsuit.
Antitrust lawsuit sparks controversy in health data exchange
The conflict escalated when Particle Health, a health data platform founded in 2018, filed an 81-page lawsuit against Epic in the Southern District of New York.
The lawsuit accuses Epic of engaging in monopolistic practices to dominate the emerging market for payer platforms and blocking the exchange of patient information.
Carequality’s role in the health data ecosystem
Both companies are connected to Carequality, a nationwide health data exchange service used by over 600,000 care providers, 50,000 clinics, and 4,200 hospitals.
Carequality facilitates the exchange of approximately 1 billion clinical documents each month.
Epic’s initial dispute and privacy concerns
On March 21, Epic filed a formal dispute with Carequality, alleging that Particle Health was improperly sharing patient data with companies using it for non-treatment purposes.
Epic raised concerns about potential HIPAA violations and security risks.
Confidential resolution and corrective action plan
A closed-door resolution process by Carequality’s Steering Committee resulted in a confidential decision.
Particle Health claims the committee sided with their arguments, stating they acted within legal and Carequality guidelines.
However, a ‘corrective action plan’ was imposed on Particle, which they argue favored Epic’s demands without attributing any wrongdoing to them.
Epic’s push for transparency and public scrutiny
Epic has accused Particle of misrepresenting the resolution’s outcome and is now urging Carequality to release the details immediately.
Epic believes this transparency will allow stakeholders to evaluate the facts independently.
Stakeholder responses and future implications
Particle Health has expressed no objection to making the resolution public if Carequality agrees.
In a statement provided to Fierce Healthcare, a Particle spokesperson said, “CareQuality asked that the resolution remain confidential. If CareQuality wishes to release it now, we have no objection.”
Alan Swenson, Carequality’s executive director, emphasized the importance of maintaining confidentiality until the process concludes but assured that more information would eventually be disclosed.
“Our independent and non-biased dispute resolution process has established procedures to consider all relevant information and reach an outcome that preserves trust, improves our framework, and reaches the best outcome for our community,” Swenson stated.
Broader impact on health data interoperability
This dispute highlights the ongoing challenges in balancing data sharing for improved healthcare outcomes with patient privacy concerns.
As the healthcare industry increasingly relies on interoperable systems, resolving such conflicts becomes crucial for maintaining trust and efficiency in health data exchange.
