USDA broadband grants to support healthcare; Replacing pagers with smartphones;

> Several rural hospitals and clinics are among the beneficiaries of $1.2 billion in U.S. Department of Agriculture grants for broadband Internet service. Government blog

> Amcom Software has published a white paper entitled, "Six Things Hospitals Need to Know About Replacing Pagers With Smartphones."

> iPlato Healthcare has reached a deal with England's National Health Service to give local health authorities the option of adopting remote patient monitoring and mobile telehealth technologies. Press release

> ExpressMD Solutions, maker of the Electronic House Call remote monitoring system, has inked a non-exclusive distribution agreement with home-health equipment and service provider Rotech Healthcare. Press release

> NCP Engineering, based in Mountain View, Calif., will provide technology to secure the patient data reported remotely by the 180 home-health workers of American Hospice. Press release

> Ruckus Wireless, Sunnyvale, Calif., has won 15 new healthcare clients for its "Smart Wi-Fi" wireless LAN technology. Press release

And Finally... Maybe Mom wasn't lying when she warned against eating watermelon seeds. Story