McLean, VA- September 22, 2009- iCore Networks, announces that it is ready to assist enterprises with a Voice over Private Internet (VoPI) solution that keeps employees connected, maintains productivity and offers additional money-saving and environmental benefits made possible by telecommuting, as businesses across the country prepare for the threat of a swine flu (H1N1) season.
iCore’s announcement comes as federal officials are urging business owners to make plans to operate with fewer employees this fall as swine flu spreads across the country.
“As small to mid-sized businesses employ about half the workers in the U.S. private sector,” said iCore’s Chairman and CEO, Stephen Canton, “iCore wants the small to mid-sized business community to know that our hosted VoPI system gives companies all the tools and features they need to provide a telecommuting option to employees, so that they can work from home, avoid the risk of infection and help keep our economy healthy.”
Telecommuting has gained recognition as a productivity enhancing and environmentally friendly option for businesses and government agencies. iCore’s customer, a Reston, Virginia, based healthcare information technology company named QuadraMed has more than 800 installed users on its VoPI network in locations nationwide.
“In the event of a swine flu outbreak, thanks to VoPI technology, our telecom system would allow our employees to disperse and continue operations,” said Jason Zurn, QuadraMed’s manager of IT services and operations. “All they have to do is take their phones home, plug them into any Internet connection and with just a few strokes on the handset, they have a virtual office at their fingertips.”
Recent support for increasing telecommuting to continue to boost productivity includes:
- A recent study by The Gartner Group highlighted the important role telecommuting could play in helping businesses stay productive during swine flu season. Gartner predicts that companies could face workforce absentee rates of 40 percent or higher during a pandemic. (read more here)
- The guidebook recently issued by the Department of Homeland Security says businesses should consider letting employees work from home if they get sick. It is also recommended that, small businesses identify their essential operations and have plans for operating with reduced staffing. (read more here)
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggests that businesses can prepare for swine flu outbreaks by enhancing their communications and IT infrastructures to support employee telecommuting and remote customer access. (read more here)
- On National Telework Day on August 3rd, 2009, 4,000 Federal, State and Private Sector workers in Virginia participated in this event and saved the state approximately $113,000, avoided driving 140,000 miles and removed 75.89 tons of pollutants from the air. A survey taken from the workers who participated in this event demonstrated that 69% felt they accomplished more than a typical at the office and 91% said they would be more likely to telework again as a result of their experience. (read more here)
About QuadraMed Corporation
QuadraMed (NASDAQ: QMHC) is a leading provider of healthcare technologies and services that turn quality care into positive financial outcomes. QuadraMed provides solutions that streamline processes, ensure compliance and help healthcare professionals deliver quality patient care. Behind the Company's products and services is a staff of 600 professionals whose experience and dedication have earned QuadraMed the trust and loyalty of clients at over 2,000 healthcare provider facilities. For more information about QuadraMed, visit http://www.quadramed.com/
About iCore Networks
iCore is a managed networking and Voice over Private Internet (VoPI) company that offers small and medium-sized businesses a cost effective, simple solution to their voice and data needs. Unlike VoIP, VoPI provides a managed, secure, hosted, end-to-end voice and data system that gives small and medium-sized businesses the same capabilities enjoyed by Fortune 500 companies at a savings over their current voice and data providers. iCore backs those capabilities with the most customer-oriented employees in the industry; unprecedented reliability and disaster recovery tools; and world-class employee support and training.