A system for remotely monitoring the medical condition of a number of individual patients from a centralized location. The system includes a plurality of remote monitoring units that each include both a wireless transmission device and a conventional modem for communicating over voice telephone lines. The dual modes of transmission allow the remote monitoring unit to communicate either over a wireless communication network, if available or over conventional telephone wires. Once the vital sign data has been acquired, the control unit of the remote monitoring unit determines whether a wireless transmission network is available. Based on the availability of the wireless communication network, the control unit of the remote monitoring unit selects either a wireless transmission or a conventional modem transmission method for the vital sign data. The vital sign data is compiled in a main data collection station that stores an displays the vital sign data for each patient being monitored. The vital sign data contained within the main data collection station is accessible by multiple workstations through conventional web-based communication techniques.
