Epic Systems has filed a federal lawsuit accusing life sciences staffing firm, Epic Staffing Group, of trademark infringement, according to an Oct. 4 lawsuit obtained by Becker's.
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, the lawsuit alleges that Epic Staffing Group has infringed on its trademarks by offering healthcare staffing services under a similar name.
Epic asserts that it holds common law rights to various "Epic Marks," having used different variations of the Epic name to promote its software solutions since the company's founding in 1979. The company also holds several U.S. trademark registrations for these marks. Epic argues that Epic Staffing Group's use of the "Epic" name is causing harm to its brand by diluting its trademark and creating confusion in the marketplace.
Epic is seeking both injunctive relief and damages, claiming that Epic Staffing Group's actions have caused tangible and intangible harm. The EHR vendor is asking the court to stop the staffing company from continuing to use the Epic name in its business operations and to compensate for the alleged damages.
Epic Staffing Group, based in El Segundo, Calif., offers healthcare staffing services and software support to hospitals and other healthcare facilities, with some of its business conducted in Wisconsin.
This news was first reported by Bloomberg Law.
Epic Staffing Group told Becker's in a email statement that its company and Epic Systems have coexisted for seven years without conflict or brand confusion. Additionally, Epic Staffing Group said it does not offer software products similar to those of Epic Systems and that many healthcare companies use "Epic" in their names without issue.
"Epic Staffing Group will vigorously defend itself against these baseless allegations, and it looks forward to vindicating its rights in court," the statement from Epic Staffing Group reads.