A volatile or non-volatile computer readable medium, not including transmission media for transmitting waves, wherein said medium comprises: a. a first plurality of programmatic instructions, wherein, when executed by a first computing device, said first plurality of programmatic instructions: i. transmit a message from the first computing device to a bedside monitor wherein said message is a request to have the first computing device assume primary responsibility for annunciating an alarm; ii. establish and maintain a heartbeat, wherein said heartbeat provides a consistent confirmation that a communication link between the first computing device and bedside monitor is operational; iii. receive data indicative of an alarm state from the bedside monitor; and iv. in response to receiving said data indicative of an alarm state from the bedside monitor, transmit an acknowledgement from the first computing device to the bedside monitor; and b. a second plurality of programmatic instructions, wherein, when executed by the bedside monitor, said second plurality of programmatic instructions: i. receives said message from the first computing device; ii. in response to receiving said message, establish and maintain said heartbeat; iii. monitor said heartbeat to confirm that a communication link between the first computing device and bedside monitor is operational; iv. transmit said data indicative of an alarm state to the first computing device over said communication link if confirmed as operational; v. suspend executing programmatic routines for annunciating an alarm in response to the alarm state if said acknowledgement from the first computing device is received; and vi. cause said alarm to be annunciated at the bedside monitor in response to the alarm state based on said data indicative of an alarm state if said heartbeat is not detected or if said heartbeat fails to meet a predefined reliability threshold. a. a first plurality of programmatic instructions, wherein, when executed by a first computing device, said first plurality of programmatic instructions: i. transmit a message from the first computing device to a bedside monitor wherein said message is a request to have the first computing device assume primary responsibility for annunciating an alarm; ii. establish and maintain a heartbeat, wherein said heartbeat provides a consistent confirmation that a communication link between the first computing device and bedside monitor is operational; iii. receive data indicative of an alarm state from the bedside monitor; and iv. in response to receiving said data indicative of an alarm state from the bedside monitor, transmit an acknowledgement from the first computing device to the bedside monitor; and i. transmit a message from the first computing device to a bedside monitor wherein said message is a request to have the first computing device assume primary responsibility for annunciating an alarm; ii. establish and maintain a heartbeat, wherein said heartbeat provides a consistent confirmation that a communication link between the first computing device and bedside monitor is operational; iii. receive data indicative of an alarm state from the bedside monitor; and iv. in response to receiving said data indicative of an alarm state from the bedside monitor, transmit an acknowledgement from the first computing device to the bedside monitor; and b. a second plurality of programmatic instructions, wherein, when executed by the bedside monitor, said second plurality of programmatic instructions: i. receives said message from the first computing device; ii. in response to receiving said message, establish and maintain said heartbeat; iii. monitor said heartbeat to confirm that a communication link between the first computing device and bedside monitor is operational; iv. transmit said data indicative of an alarm state to the first computing device over said communication link if confirmed as operational; v. suspend executing programmatic routines for annunciating an alarm in response to the alarm state if said acknowledgement from the first computing device is received; and vi. cause said alarm to be annunciated at the bedside monitor in response to the alarm state based on said data indicative of an alarm state if said heartbeat is not detected or if said heartbeat fails to meet a predefined reliability threshold. i. receives said message from the first computing device; ii. in response to receiving said message, establish and maintain said heartbeat; iii. monitor said heartbeat to confirm that a communication link between the first computing device and bedside monitor is operational; iv. transmit said data indicative of an alarm state to the first computing device over said communication link if confirmed as operational; v. suspend executing programmatic routines for annunciating an alarm in response to the alarm state if said acknowledgement from the first computing device is received; and vi. cause said alarm to be annunciated at the bedside monitor in response to the alarm state based on said data indicative of an alarm state if said heartbeat is not detected or if said heartbeat fails to meet a predefined reliability threshold.