US Patent 10500401 Network communication for patient support apparatuses

Patient support apparatuses, such as beds, cots, stretchers, chairs, or the like, include wireless communication systems that are adapted to communicate with a non-local wireless receiver positioned outside of the healthcare facility and not associated with the healthcare facility. A computer positioned within the healthcare facility and coupled a local area network of the healthcare facility receives messages from the patient support apparatuses that have been forwarded by the non-local wireless receiver to the local area network. In some embodiments, the wireless receiver is local and positioned within the healthcare facility. In such instances, a second computer, such as a server, forwards a first subset of the patient support apparatus messages to a first computer via the local area network and a second subset of the patient support apparatus messages to a device remote from the healthcare facility. Patient support apparatuses that communicate using visible light are also disclosed.