Judy Faulkner says Epic won't challenge VA's 2017 decision to select Cerner: 'It's the customer's right to pick whatever they want'

Jessica Kim Cohen -

After U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, MD, delayed awarding the agency's EHR contract to Cerner, some questioned whether Epic would challenge the deal, according to the Politico Morning eHealth newsletter.

However, Epic founder and CEO Judy Faulkner told Politico the EHR giant does not plan to do so. "We've never challenged anything," she said. "We don't do that. We feel it's the customer's right to pick whatever they want.

Dr. Shulkin first announced the VA's intention to implement Cerner as its systemwide EHR during a news briefing in June 2017. During the briefing, Dr. Shulkin said he had signed a "determination and findings" form to allow the VA to issue a direct solicitation to Cerner.

Prior to Dr. Shulkin's June announcement, Epic officials had estimated they could implement a systemwide EHR at the VA for $7 billion, according to Ms. Faulkner. Recent estimates have placed the VA's contract with Cerner in the range of $10 billion.

"I do think that if the VA had gone with us we'd be much cheaper, much faster and much better," Ms. Faulkner told Politico. "And we'd interoperate with most of the places that veterans go to for care outside the VA at a high level."

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