Epidemiology & Communicable Disease
Epidemiology is medical science that involves the study of the incidence and distribution of diseases in large populations, and the conditions influencing the spread and severity of disease.
In Idaho, legal authority for regulations protecting the health of the people of Idaho is granted to the Board of Health and Welfare. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare has adopted regulations that contain the official requirements governing the reporting, control, and prevention of reportable diseases and conditions. In short, this means that medical providers are legally required to report certain conditions to public health. These guidelines form the Idaho Reportable Disease List.
The intent of the Communicable Disease Program at SIPH is to investigate reports of diseases that are spread via the environment, people, or animals. During our confidential investigations, our goal is to ensure that each individual is educated about the disease and how to prevent the spread of the disease.
Health Alert Network (HAN)
The Idaho Health Alert Network is sponsored by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare's (IDHW) Health Preparedness Program and was established under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Idaho HAN system is an automated system designed to rapidly deliver time-critical, health-related information to designated health partners. When a health threat is identified, IDHW sends an e-mail or fax message to district public health departments. District public health departments pass this information on through e-mail or fax to hospitals, clinics, physicians, and other appropriate health care providers. In addition, information on the HAN website summarizes the event and provides background and guidelines for public health staff and clinicians.
The Idaho HAN is now online and is undergoing a test phase. If you would like to register as a user of the HAN system and receive future health-related information, please go to the Idaho HAN website at the Idaho HAN website
Reporting a Case
24-hour Reporting: (800) 632-5927
- Disease or condition reported
- Patient's name, age, gender, address (including city and county), phone
- Physician's name, address, phone