It is apparent this article was placed to “sell” the concept that taking a proprietary software package “open source” has changed the market.
The first myth is that Allscripts is the first company to enter the open source healthcare market. The VA has been using an open source concept for their public domain system which has led to companies like MedSphere picking up market share outside the VA. Other open source EMR packages are available for the small practice market (OpenEMR, OpenMRS, WorldVista). One of the best interface engines (Mirth) has been around for years and is continuing to increase its share of the healthcare marketplace.
Hospitals are not “forced to deal with one vendor” but choose to based on cost (usually large discounts are involved) or the perceived concept that the systems are well integrated (another myth as many are a result of company acquisitions). Interesting that the CEO of Epic is concerned that “can be dangerous for patients” if you do not choose a single vendor. I wonder who that single vendor should be Judith? Years of “best of breed” system selection by hospitals seems to have proven the opposite.