Case Study
Market Intelligence for EHR Market
How a Global Medical Device Leader Decoded the EHR Market Using Creative Research and FOIA Requests by Uncovering Competitive Intelligence, pricing strategies, and partnership opportunities in a proprietary, opaque market
The Challenge
A global medical device manufacturer wanted to understand opportunities in the Electronic Health Records (EHR) market but lacked industry familiarity and access to intelligence on the privately-owned market leader. With limited public information and strict confidentiality constraints, the Company needed creative research methods to uncover platform capabilities, pricing strategies, and partnership opportunities without breaching ethical boundaries.
- Industry: Medical Devices / Healthcare IT
- Services: Market Research, Competitive Intelligence, Pricing Analysis, Partnership Strategy
- Timeline: Multi-phase research engagement
- Company Type: Global Fortune 500 medical device manufacturer exploring EHR market entry
Company Background
The Company is a large medical device manufacturer and global provider of cardiac, diabetes, restorative therapies, and minimally invasive medical device technologies. With a strong track record of innovation in medical devices and established relationships with healthcare providers worldwide, the Company was exploring opportunities to extend its value proposition beyond devices into healthcare software and data platforms—specifically, the Electronic Health Records (EHR) market.
The EHR market represented a strategic opportunity for the Company. Healthcare systems were increasingly looking for integrated solutions that connected medical devices with patient data systems, enabling better clinical decision-making, improved workflow efficiency, and enhanced patient outcomes. If the Company could understand how EHR platforms worked, how they were sold, and how device manufacturers could partner with EHR vendors, it could potentially position its devices as integrated components of broader healthcare IT ecosystems—creating differentiation and deeper customer relationships.
The Business Challenge
The Company wanted to better understand the opportunities in the EHR market but lacked industry familiarity. They needed intelligence on the technology platform architecture, individual software modules, selling and contracting strategies, pricing information, and potential partnership opportunities. However, the project posed two considerable challenges that made traditional market research approaches insufficient.
First, there was limited public information. While some data was publicly available on the EHR market broadly, there was little (if any) publicly available information regarding the privately-owned EHR industry leader—its platform architecture, specific solutions, selling strategies, or partnership models. This market leader controlled significant market share and set the standard for how EHR systems were structured and sold, making it a critical benchmark for understanding the market. Without insight into this company, any market intelligence would be incomplete.
Second, pricing information was highly proprietary. EHR contracts were negotiated individually with healthcare systems, and pricing structures were closely guarded competitive secrets. While we had access to current and former EHR employees who could provide qualitative insights, we could not ethically ask them to disclose proprietary pricing information that would breach confidentiality agreements. The Company needed this pricing intelligence to evaluate market attractiveness and partnership economics, but we had to find a way to obtain it without compromising our ethical standards or exposing interviewees to legal risk.
Our Approach
01 | Multi-Source Research Design
We developed a comprehensive research plan that combined both primary and secondary sources of information. Primary research included structured interviews with current and former EHR employees, healthcare IT consultants, and hospital administrators who had experience purchasing and implementing EHR systems. Secondary research included analysis of publicly available materials such as vendor marketing content, industry publications, conference presentations, and regulatory filings. By triangulating insights across multiple sources, we could build a comprehensive picture of the EHR market even where individual sources had limited information.
02 | Ethical Interview Design
We structured our interview questions carefully to avoid inadvertent disclosures of confidential information. Rather than asking directly about proprietary pricing or contract terms, we asked broader questions about market dynamics, purchasing criteria, implementation challenges, and partnership structures—allowing interviewees to share insights without violating confidentiality agreements. We also used hypothetical scenarios and public examples to guide conversations, ensuring that responses were grounded in observable market behavior rather than proprietary knowledge.
03 | Creative Sourcing of Proprietary Information
While pricing information is typically confidential in commercial contracts, our deep research experience taught us how to identify unconventional sources where this information becomes accessible through legitimate channels. By understanding the nuances of public sector procurement and contract disclosure requirements, we were able to locate executed contracts, pricing schedules, and implementation terms that most researchers would assume are unavailable.
The information we collected required significant analytical work—many documents were incomplete, redacted, or presented in inconsistent formats. However, by collating information across multiple sources and applying pattern recognition combined with reasonable assumptions about market dynamics, we were able to reverse-engineer pricing models and identify how EHR vendors structured deals across different customer segments. This approach gave the Company the pricing intelligence they needed—intelligence that competitors pursuing traditional research methods would not have been able to obtain—while ensuring we maintained ethical research standards throughout the process.
The Impact
Comprehensive Market Intelligence
The Company gained a detailed understanding of the EHR market landscape—including platform architecture, key software modules, competitive positioning of major vendors, and how the privately-owned market leader differentiated its offerings. This intelligence allowed the Company to evaluate market entry options with a clear-eyed view of competitive dynamics and technology requirements.
Pricing Strategy Insights
Through creative use of FOIA requests and analysis of public contracts, we provided the Company with actionable intelligence on EHR pricing models, contract structures, and typical deal terms. This information was critical for evaluating the economic attractiveness of potential partnerships and understanding how device integration deals would be structured and valued.
Partnership Opportunity Assessment
We identified specific partnership models that EHR vendors used to integrate third-party medical devices and technologies into their platforms. This analysis included technical integration requirements, revenue-sharing structures, and go-to-market implications—giving the Company a roadmap for how to approach potential partnerships with EHR vendors.
Ethical Research Methodology
We demonstrated that it’s possible to obtain high-quality competitive intelligence without compromising ethical standards or asking interview subjects to breach confidentiality. By combining creative research design, multi-source triangulation, and strategic use of public records, we delivered the intelligence the Company needed while maintaining integrity and protecting all parties involved in the research process.
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