Patient monitoring system

The present invention relates generally to monitoring the vital signs of one or more patients, and more particularly to a system and method for monitoring patients via wireless communications. A wireless medical telemetry system includes at least one wireless patient monitor configured to monitor a patient by collecting vital signs data from the patient, and a first central station associated with one or more wireless transceivers, and adapted to establish communications with the at least one patient monitor and receive the vital signs data via the one or more wireless transceivers. A second central station is associated with the one or more wireless transceivers, and adapted to receive vital signs data via the one or more wireless transceivers. The second central station is configured to automatically attempt to establish communications with the at least one patient monitor and receive the vital signs data in place of the first central station in the event the communications between the first central station and the at least one patient monitor are lost. There is also a method for monitoring a patient.