The recent conflict between healthcare data management companies Epic Systems and Particle Health has brought to light issues related to patient data sharing and access. Despite the ongoing dispute, a vast majority of Particle Health’s customers are still able to access patient records from Epic Systems, which supports over 300 million patient records.
Both Epic Systems and Particle Health are part of an interoperability network called Carequality. This network facilitates the exchange of patient information on a large scale, allowing healthcare organizations to access the data they need for patient treatment. However, to join the Carequality network, organizations must be approved and abide by “Permitted Purposes,” which are generally related to patient treatment.
Patient data sharing is governed by federal laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which requires patient consent or knowledge for third-party access. Epic Systems raised concerns that Particle Health and its participant organizations might be inaccurately representing the purpose associated with their record retrievals, leading to a formal dispute.
In response to the dispute, Epic Systems stopped responding to data requests from some of Particle Health’s customers. However, Particle Health stated that the significant majority of its customers were not affected by this action. The company has been working to restore connection to impacted customers, emphasizing that the dispute with Epic only involved specific cases.
Epic Systems discovered that some Particle Health customers were accessing patient medical records by falsely claiming to be treating them as patients. This violation of Carequality guidelines prompted Epic Systems to prevent a small number of groups from using Particle’s connection to access their data. Epic Systems has requested more information from Particle Health regarding how these organizations are using medical records before access is restored.
Particle Health’s CEO, Jason Prestinario, stated that the company will address the dispute with Epic Systems through official procedural channels. Despite the ongoing conflict, both companies are working towards resolving the issues related to data sharing and access. The situation serves as a reminder of the complexities and challenges in ensuring compliance with data-sharing regulations in the healthcare industry.
The fallout between Epic Systems and Particle Health highlights the importance of transparent and ethical practices in data sharing within the healthcare sector. As technology continues to play a crucial role in patient care, it is essential for companies to uphold the highest standards of data security and compliance to protect patient information and advance interoperability in the industry.