Epic to Merge with Epic Games
After years of being confused for one another, Epic, a healthcare software company in Verona, WI, and Epic Games, a videogame company in Cary, NC, have combined forces. With a company culture that emphasizes the importance of fun, the healthcare software company had decided to make a strategic move, branching into videogames. After Epic pitched their idea of a collaboration to Epic Games, the two companies decided instead to merge into Epic Healthcare Games. “They have Fortnite, one of the most popular videogames of all time. We have MyChart, the most popular patient portal of all time,” says Epic spokesperson Ashley Gibson. “It just makes sense.”
In an age where telehealth visits have become increasingly popular, with patients appreciating the convenience and safety of visiting virtually with providers from the comfort of their own home, receiving healthcare through a videogame is a logical next step.
In their much anticipated first release, A Fortnite at the Hospital, patients and providers choose and customize the avatars they use to move through a colorful landscape. Patients must journey to meet their provider, completing side quests along the way, such as discovering their family’s health history and capturing their vitals.
Epic Healthcare Games is already working on future plans to help put the “fun” back in “fundamental care.” Ideas include requiring clinicians to complete a brain teaser before they can log into the system, helping to sharpen their minds before their shift, and a Tetris-style scheduling app.
The two companies expect the merger to be officially completed within the next fortnight.