Building Epic: Judy Faulkner on leadership

In this episode of Digital Health Unplugged, Judy Faulkner, founder and chief executive of Epic Systems, shares her journey from maths puzzles and early programming to building one of the world’s most widely-adopted electronic patient record (EPR) systems. Speaking to Tammy Lovell, editor at Digital Health, Faulkner reflects on how she started Epic in a basement in 1979 with a handful of programmers, with the company valued at $70,000. The US software giant has grown into the largest EPR vendor by market share, with its revenue estimated $5.7bn in 2024.  Epic's revenue is now an estimated $5.7bn in 2024, with the firm covering more than half of hospital patients in the US. It also recorded the biggest gain in the UK's EPR market between January 2024 and March 2025, now holding around 10% of the NHS acute trust market. Faulkner, who owns 43% of the firm, discusses her decision to remain privately held and mission-driven rather than answer to shareholders, and explains how her mother’s advice continues to influence her leadership. The conversation also explores Epic’s immersive approach to product development, how AI is being embedded across the system, and Faulkner's vision for a more preventive, accessible healthcare system. Epic will be at Digital Health Rewired, which takes place at the NEC in Birmingham on 24th-25th March 2026. Register here. Guest: Judy Faulkner, founder and CEO, Epic Systems