A system for programming a plurality of infusion pumps, the system comprising: a plurality of infusion pumps, each of the infusion pumps configured to administer medication to a patient; at least one sending apparatus configured to transmit a data set including at least one item selected from a set comprising hospital data, patient data, sensor data, and procedure data; an input source configured to receive a selected functional set, the selected functional set comprising a set of programming instructions for all of the plurality of infusion pumps, each particular programming instruction uniquely associated with one of the plurality of infusion pumps; and a programming engine including: a drug library including at least one functional set corresponding to the selected functional set defining at least one set of medications, the at least one set of medications defining medication amounts and infusion rates; a communications engine configured to interface to the sending apparatus, the plurality of infusion pumps and the input source; and a processor configured to interface to the drug library to automatically select a set of medications from the selected functional set based on the data set and to command the communications engine to program the plurality of infusion pumps according to the selected functional set and the selected at least one set of medications obtained from the drug library, the programming involving each infusion pump receiving the selected functional set, with each infusion pump being programmed according to the associated particular programming instruction for that infusion pump such that each infusion pump receives a unique programming instruction. a plurality of infusion pumps, each of the infusion pumps configured to administer medication to a patient; at least one sending apparatus configured to transmit a data set including at least one item selected from a set comprising hospital data, patient data, sensor data, and procedure data; an input source configured to receive a selected functional set, the selected functional set comprising a set of programming instructions for all of the plurality of infusion pumps, each particular programming instruction uniquely associated with one of the plurality of infusion pumps; and a programming engine including: a drug library including at least one functional set corresponding to the selected functional set defining at least one set of medications, the at least one set of medications defining medication amounts and infusion rates; a communications engine configured to interface to the sending apparatus, the plurality of infusion pumps and the input source; and a processor configured to interface to the drug library to automatically select a set of medications from the selected functional set based on the data set and to command the communications engine to program the plurality of infusion pumps according to the selected functional set and the selected at least one set of medications obtained from the drug library, the programming involving each infusion pump receiving the selected functional set, with each infusion pump being programmed according to the associated particular programming instruction for that infusion pump such that each infusion pump receives a unique programming instruction. a drug library including at least one functional set corresponding to the selected functional set defining at least one set of medications, the at least one set of medications defining medication amounts and infusion rates; a communications engine configured to interface to the sending apparatus, the plurality of infusion pumps and the input source; and a processor configured to interface to the drug library to automatically select a set of medications from the selected functional set based on the data set and to command the communications engine to program the plurality of infusion pumps according to the selected functional set and the selected at least one set of medications obtained from the drug library, the programming involving each infusion pump receiving the selected functional set, with each infusion pump being programmed according to the associated particular programming instruction for that infusion pump such that each infusion pump receives a unique programming instruction.