ABI Research recently noted that the healthcare industry's adoption of WiFi has grown 60 percent in the past year: Well, Sunnyvale, California-based Ruckus Wireless can testify to that. Ruckus announced 15 new medical facilities had recently deployed its Smart WiFi technology.

Ruckus says its customers are using Smart WiFi to transmit electronic medical records, handle IP-based video applications, wirelessly retrieve x-ray images, send electronic diagnoses, order lab tests and prescriptions and more.

"We're seeing a big uptick in WiFi in hospitals," David Callisch, vice president of marketing for Ruckus Wireless, told eWEEK in a recent interview. According to Callisch, even mobile beds can create obstacles for wireless signals within a hospital room. Ruckus' Smart WiFi claims to offer "smarter" WiFi signals that improve throughput and reliability.

"Clinicians get frustrated when in the process of authenticating information, they lose information," Rick Gentry, director of health care solutions for Ruckus told eWeek.

Some of the care facilities that have recently deployed Ruckus Wireless technology include: Eastern Long Island Hospital (NY), Martin Memorial Health Systems (FL), Grove Hill Medical (CT), East Orange General Hospital (NJ), Gaston County Medical Center (NC), South Florida Multi-Specialty (FL), Pawnee County Memorial (NE), Satilla Regional Medical Center (GA), Centre Hospitalier de Meaux (France), Chadron Community Hospital & Health , CEI Community Mental Health, Seven Hills Hospital (India), Surgery Center of Decatur (SD), Premier Medical Corporation and Hospedia (UK), according to the Ruckus Wireless press release.

Gentry told the publication that often hospital staff members place "tape on the floor to mark the locations of stronger wireless signals." Really?

For more on the Ruckus Wireless deployments, read the press release here.