Hospital bed compatibility with third party application software

A system for use in a healthcare facility having a plurality of patient rooms, the system comprising

• a plurality of patient care devices located in a first patient room of the plurality of patient rooms, wherein the plurality of patient care devices includes a patient bed and a lift that is separate from the patient bed and that is configured to lift a patient,
• an application server located remotely from the first patient room, the application server having stored therein application software associated with each patient care device of the plurality of patient care devices, and
• at least one universal caregiver interface situated in the first patient room and in communication with the application server, the at least one universal caregiver interface receiving application software from the application server adapted to control movement of a movable component of each patient care device of the plurality of patient care devices including the patient bed and the lift, the application software for each patient care device being sent to the at least one universal caregiver interface from the application server automatically in response to presence of the respective patient care device being detected in the first patient room, the at least one universal caregiver interface then being adapted to be used to control the operation of each of the plurality of patient care devices in accordance with the application software,
• wherein the application server also sends validation information to each of the patient care devices in the first patient room, the validation information adapted to enable the patient care devices to confirm that received device command messages sent from the at least one universal caregiver interface are authorized commands for controlling movement of the movable component of the patient care devices,
• wherein the lift comprises a ceiling lift, wherein at least one of the patient care devices other than the patient bed and the ceiling lift lacks any user inputs thereon but is configured to be controlled by the at least one universal caregiver interface in accordance with the respective application software,
• wherein the at least one universal caregiver interface includes an input that, when selected, results in the universal caregiver interface sending messages to set a bed scale of the patient bed to zero, to open at least one motorized window blind of the first patient room, and to cancel one or more room notifications associated with the first patient room,
• wherein the patient bed includes a web browser adapted to enable the caregiver or patient to obtain at least one web-based application from a remote computer device and wherein an authentication software module verifies that the at least one web-based application is authorized for use on the patient bed, the at least one web-based application being unusable on the patient bed until verification has occurred.