The HCNN will deliver product-related patient safety alerts to healthcare providers faster and more efficiently than the current US Mail-based system.

Important steps in the HCNN process include the following:

1. Manufacturer determines that a patient safety alert (recall, warning, label change, etc.) should be sent to healthcare providers.
2. The manufacturer contacts the HCNN with patient safety alert content and notification specifications following FDA guidance for contacting providers based upon specialty or type of product.
3. Medem confirms that the notification request complies with Network usage guidelines as established by the iHealth Alliance, and then uses the HCNN to send an alert via email to all appropriate registered providers.
4. Provider clicks on a hypertext link in the email to review the patient safety notice.
5. Providers who do not open the alert will receive a paper-based alert typically sent via U.S. mail.
6. Providers not enrolled in the HCNN will receive the alert via current paper-based process, typically sent via U.S. mail. These may take days/weeks to receive and review.

In addition:

• Providers can log in to the HCNN at any point and view saved or deleted alerts sent during the preceding 12 months.
• Providers can have alerts automatically sent to other designated office staff, in addition to themselves.
• Alerts related to national public health emergencies (e.g. epidemic outbreak, bio-terrorism, etc.) may also be sent via the HCNN.