Montana Health Alert Network (HAN)
The purpose of Montana's Health Alert Network (HAN) is to promote the sustainable development of modern Internet-based and data communications capacities in a manner that will support the emerging PHIN (Public Health Information Network) architecture. These capacities include Internet and e-mail access for Local County Health Departments and Tribal Health Agencies. Building an Internet-based tele-communications infrastructure to advance the rapid dissemination of information between the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) and Local County Health Departments, Indian Health Services and Tribal Health Agencies, improving disease surveillance, and supporting Public Health Worker training in association with the Montana Public Health Training Institute (MTPHI) and the public health workforce development efforts associated with the Public Health Improvement Task Force. HAN design element citation: Galen with laptop
HAN Guidance for 2007 - 2008
Guidance documents for local county and tribal health department's HAN activities will be posted in the Montana Training and Communications Center (TCC). The Internet web link to the TCC is at the bottom of this page along with the path to get to the posted HAN guidance and Telecommunications Service Priority documents. All future HAN guidance will be posted in the DPHHS PHEP HAN team room in the TCC.
The emphasis for HAN in 2007-2008 will be:
1. Maintaining on-going Internet connectivity.
2. Testing of both state and local HAN systems utilizing various types of communications technologies.
3. Updating HAN Plans, Policies for E-mail and Internet Use and HAN Contact Lists in the local health jurisdictions Preparedness Team Room.
The comments we receive from local public health agencies are very important and we learn a great deal from them. For example, the comment below is very informative. "The jargon of this focus area is very technical and people are finding it very hard to understand what exactly is happening." There is a request that the language be kept to more simple terms. Comments like these let us know how we can better frame our communications, and be more responsive to the concerns of local public health agencies. We plan to address all of comments and concerns as directly as possible in this year's guidance. Please submit any additional comments to Gerry Wheat, DPHHS HAN Coordinator in the Public Health Informatics work unit.
To view the Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) video click the link below.
HAN Guidance for the Preparedness Grant for 2007 - 2008 and the guidance for Telecommunication Service Priority Restoration (TSP) have been uploaded to the TCC. Login at https://montanapublichealthtcc.org . Go to "Emergency Preparedness Center / Emergency Preparedness Team Rooms". Click on the team room called "DPHHS PHEP HAN Room" - then click on "Content " to view the guidance documents.