The National Federation of the Blind claims Epic's software isn't suitable for blind and low-vision users, according to a lawsuit filed in Massachusetts and reported by the Politico Morning eHealth newsletter.
Here are four things to know:
1. The NFB brought the lawsuit under the state's disability protection law. The lawsuit alleges that because EHRs aren't easily accessible to the blind, the technology limits them from taking jobs in healthcare.
2. The federation argues Epic and other EHR vendors should be required to equip their products with text-to-speech features so that blind and low-vision people can use them. EHR vendors would likely need to spend thousands of hours and dollars reworking their systems to meet these accessibility standards.
3. Epic requested the case move from Massachusetts to federal court because of the expense of the claim and the fact that the parties are from different states, according to Politico.
4. Epic has until Feb. 1 to decide how to proceed.