A user interface for a patient monitoring system, the user interface being adapted to display a visual representation of patient monitoring data generated by a plurality of patient monitors that are each adapted to monitor a different patient, the user interface comprising: a communication module adapted to communicate bi-directionally with two or more patient monitors over respective communication pathways to receive, from each patient monitor, patient monitoring data generated by the respective patient monitor; an output module for providing a user-perceptible output, the output module coupleable to a two-dimensional display screen for generating a visual output; a user interface processor adapted to: obtain, from the communications module, the patient monitoring data received from each patient monitor; control the two-dimensional display screen to provide a visual representation of the patient monitoring data generated by each patient monitor in communication with the user interface; monitor a status of both the user interface and the display screen; and control the output module to provide a user-perceptible output indicating the status of the user interface, wherein: the communication module is adapted to communicate with at least one other user interface; the user interface further is adapted to use the communication module to receive patient monitoring data from the at least one other user interface; the user interface processor is adapted to control the two-dimensional display screen to be capable of further providing a visual representation of the patient monitoring data obtained from the at least one other user interface; and each patient monitor is adapted, responsive to determining that the communication pathway between the respective patient monitor and the user interface is unable to successfully carry the patient monitoring data to the user interface, to initiate transmission of the patient monitoring data to the at least one other user interface over a different communication pathway. a communication module adapted to communicate bi-directionally with two or more patient monitors over respective communication pathways to receive, from each patient monitor, patient monitoring data generated by the respective patient monitor; an output module for providing a user-perceptible output, the output module coupleable to a two-dimensional display screen for generating a visual output; a user interface processor adapted to: obtain, from the communications module, the patient monitoring data received from each patient monitor; control the two-dimensional display screen to provide a visual representation of the patient monitoring data generated by each patient monitor in communication with the user interface; monitor a status of both the user interface and the display screen; and control the output module to provide a user-perceptible output indicating the status of the user interface, obtain, from the communications module, the patient monitoring data received from each patient monitor; control the two-dimensional display screen to provide a visual representation of the patient monitoring data generated by each patient monitor in communication with the user interface; monitor a status of both the user interface and the display screen; and control the output module to provide a user-perceptible output indicating the status of the user interface, wherein: the communication module is adapted to communicate with at least one other user interface; the user interface further is adapted to use the communication module to receive patient monitoring data from the at least one other user interface; the user interface processor is adapted to control the two-dimensional display screen to be capable of further providing a visual representation of the patient monitoring data obtained from the at least one other user interface; and each patient monitor is adapted, responsive to determining that the communication pathway between the respective patient monitor and the user interface is unable to successfully carry the patient monitoring data to the user interface, to initiate transmission of the patient monitoring data to the at least one other user interface over a different communication pathway. the communication module is adapted to communicate with at least one other user interface; the user interface further is adapted to use the communication module to receive patient monitoring data from the at least one other user interface; the user interface processor is adapted to control the two-dimensional display screen to be capable of further providing a visual representation of the patient monitoring data obtained from the at least one other user interface; and each patient monitor is adapted, responsive to determining that the communication pathway between the respective patient monitor and the user interface is unable to successfully carry the patient monitoring data to the user interface, to initiate transmission of the patient monitoring data to the at least one other user interface over a different communication pathway.