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Epic just met its match, and it’s not another EHR company.
It’s the federal government’s demand for true interoperability.
📊 Here’s what’s happening:
Epic built its empire on data control. For decades, they’ve maintained competitive advantage by making it difficult for health systems to share information outside their ecosystem.
Now the Trump Administration is forcing their hand with aggressive interoperability mandates in 2026.
The numbers tell the story:
• 1,000+ Epic hospitals now live on TEFCA
• 22,000 Epic clinics connected through Epic Nexus
• 3,000+ athenahealth providers already integrated
• Oracle Health (Cerner) applying to become the 9th TEFCA network
This isn’t just technical compliance. It’s a fundamental shift in how healthcare data moves.
For years, Epic argued that closed systems protected patient privacy and ensured data quality. They weren’t wrong. But they also weren’t entirely honest about the business benefits of being a walled garden.
Now every major EHR vendor is racing to prove they’re the most open, the most connected, the most interoperable.
The irony? Epic might actually benefit from this forced transparency.
When every system talks to every other system seamlessly, the differentiator becomes user experience, clinical decision support, and implementation expertise. Areas where Epic already excels.
But here’s the real question healthcare leaders should ask:
If true interoperability arrives in 2026, do we still need monolithic EHR platforms? Or does this open the door for best-of-breed solutions that actually work together?
The walled gardens are coming down. What we build in their place will define healthcare technology for the next decade.
♻️ Repost if you believe data silos are healthcare’s biggest barrier to innovation
👉 Follow me, Jonathan Govette, for daily, real-time updates on healthcare technology and business news. LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathangovette/
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Author:
Jonathan Govette is a seasoned healthcare and technology executive with more than two decades of experience building, scaling, and advising digital health companies. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of Oatmeal Health, an AI-driven Lung Cancer Screening and Diagnostics company focused on expanding access to early detection for underrepresented populations, particularly patients served by Federally Qualified Health Centers and value-based health plans.
With a background in engineering, product development, and strategic partnerships, Jonathan has founded and led multiple health technology ventures across clinical care delivery, regulated medical software, and AI-enabled diagnostics. His work sits at the intersection of medicine, technology, and health equity, with a consistent focus on translating complex clinical problems into scalable, real-world solutions.
Jonathan has spent much of his professional life dedicated to improving outcomes for marginalized and underserved communities. He has designed and implemented frameworks that align clinical quality, reimbursement, and technology to sustainably advance health equity at scale. This mission is deeply personal and informs his leadership philosophy and long-term vision for healthcare transformation.
In addition to his operating experience, Jonathan is an author and long-time writer in the healthcare domain, with over 20 years of published work covering digital health, medical innovation, and healthcare systems. He is a frequent mentor to early-stage founders and regularly advises startups on product strategy, partnerships, and go-to-market execution in regulated healthcare environments.
Before entering industry full-time, Jonathan nearly pursued a career in medicine with an early path toward cardiothoracic surgery, an experience that continues to shape his clinical perspective and respect for frontline care delivery.
CEO | Oatmeal Health | AI Lung Cancer Startup | Engineer | Writer | Almost Became a Doctor (Cardiac Thoracic Surgeon) | 3x Health Tech Founder | Startup Mentor | Follow to share what I’ve learned along the way.
