A communication system is used by a portable patient monitoring device for connecting to other devices, including a docking station, via one or more networks. The communications system includes an adaptive communication interface which, when the patient monitoring device is docked, establishes communication with a first network, and receives from a first docking station a first unique identifier that identifies the first docking station, allowing the patient monitoring device to communicate patient parameters to the first destination. While the portable patient monitoring device is undocked, the adaptive communication interface is inhibited from establishing communication with a network providing an identifier to the portable patient monitor that does not match the first unique identifier. Upon docking to a second docking station, the patient monitoring device establishes communication with a second network using a new unique identifier received from the second docking station via a second exclusive communication link.