Abstract: The system is composed of a plurality of bedside stations, each in the vicinity of a hospitalized patient, and each interconnected to a central station for monitoring and controlling the bedside stations. The bedside stations contain a plurality of physiological sensing and data sending modules. Each bedside unit contains a central processor for controlling the flow and format of data from the module and to the central station. The central station includes peripheral display units for selectively displaying data from each of the bedside stations. A central processor controls the flow of data from each bedside station to the peripheral displays and for communicating with each bedside processor. Data links are provided for the analog data from the central stations and data links for serial asynchronous data transmission from the bedside station to the central station and for commands from the central station to the bedside station.