1. A system comprising: a plurality of bedside units for collecting patient data from patient monitors that collect vital signs patient data from patients and transmitting the vital signs patient data over a network, the bedside units including: a computer system configured to: collect the vital signs patient data from the monitors; and send the vital signs patient data over the network; a remote medical station for receiving the vital signs patient data from the plurality of bedside units, the remote medical station including: a storage device for storing the received vital signs patient data; and a processor to apply one or more predefined rules to at least two vital signs patient data elements from the stored vital signs patient data to calculate a score value that reflects a relationship between the vital signs patient data elements according to the one or more predefined rules and provides an output that causes the processor to produce an alarm that indicates if an intervention is warranted.