A healthcare communication system comprising: a first plurality of computer devices (22, 24, 27, 28, 32, 122, 222) operable as a nurse call system, the first plurality of computer devices (22, 24, 27, 28, 32, 122, 222) having a base nurse call system and a core nurse call functionality residing on an embedded computing platform, at least one of the first plurality of computer devices (22, 24, 27, 28, 32, 122, 222) having a graphical display screen, and wherein the first plurality of computer devices (22, 24, 27, 28, 32, 122, 222) comprises a subset associated with a nursing unit having a plurality of patient rooms, and a second plurality of computer devices (260, 284, 286, 290, 292, 294) operable to provide the first plurality of computer devices (22, 24, 27, 28, 32, 122, 222) with additional functionality via software plug-ins that are transmitted to the first plurality of computer devices (22, 24, 27, 28, 32, 122, 222), wherein the software plug-ins relate only to an advanced functionality of the base nurse call system and not the core nurse call functionality of the base nurse call system, and are dynamically loaded in separate application domains such that the core nurse call functionality is isolated on a software basis from the additional functionality so that recertification of the core nurse call functionality by a certification entity is not needed, and wherein the first plurality of computer devices (22, 24, 27, 28, 32, 122, 222) are interconnected logically and/or physically in a tiered architecture arrangement comprising a plurality of tiers, one of the tiers comprising the subset of the first plurality of computer devices (22, 24, 27, 28, 32, 122, 222) that is associated with the nursing unit. a first plurality of computer devices (22, 24, 27, 28, 32, 122, 222) operable as a nurse call system, the first plurality of computer devices (22, 24, 27, 28, 32, 122, 222) having a base nurse call system and a core nurse call functionality residing on an embedded computing platform, at least one of the first plurality of computer devices (22, 24, 27, 28, 32, 122, 222) having a graphical display screen, and wherein the first plurality of computer devices (22, 24, 27, 28, 32, 122, 222) comprises a subset associated with a nursing unit having a plurality of patient rooms, and a second plurality of computer devices (260, 284, 286, 290, 292, 294) operable to provide the first plurality of computer devices (22, 24, 27, 28, 32, 122, 222) with additional functionality via software plug-ins that are transmitted to the first plurality of computer devices (22, 24, 27, 28, 32, 122, 222), wherein the software plug-ins relate only to an advanced functionality of the base nurse call system and not the core nurse call functionality of the base nurse call system, and are dynamically loaded in separate application domains such that the core nurse call functionality is isolated on a software basis from the additional functionality so that recertification of the core nurse call functionality by a certification entity is not needed, and wherein the first plurality of computer devices (22, 24, 27, 28, 32, 122, 222) are interconnected logically and/or physically in a tiered architecture arrangement comprising a plurality of tiers, one of the tiers comprising the subset of the first plurality of computer devices (22, 24, 27, 28, 32, 122, 222) that is associated with the nursing unit.