Abstract: A system which is capable of allowing an attending physician to continuously monitor the electrocardiogram (ECG) signals produced by a cardiac patient. The signals, generated by the patient, are first recorded in real time over a predetermined time period established by the physician. At the conclusion of the predetermined time period a monitoring station is automatically alerted by telephone and commences receiving the patient's real time ECG signals directly. The recorded ECG signals are then transmitted in a compressed time fashion to the monitoring station simultaneously with the real time ECG signals. The monitoring station receives the compressed time and the real time transmitted signals and following analysis thereof transmits a report of selected portions of the ECG to the physician.