A method and system for electrocardiographic monitoring includes receiving cardiac signals recorded from electrodes attached to a patient according to a known electrode configuration and determining the known electrode configuration. The cardiac signal is then automatically analyzed based on the alternative electrode configuration. In one embodiment, the method includes acquiring a cardiac signal through electrodes connected to the patient according to a known electrode configuration and analyzing the cardiac signal to detect whether the known electrode configuration deviates from a standard 12 lead ECG configuration. If a deviation is detected, then an estimated electrode configuration is determined for the electrodes connected to the patient and the estimated electrode configuration is presented to a user. Confirmation information is received from the user regarding whether the estimated electrode configuration is the known electrode configuration, and the physiological data is automatically analyzed based on the confirmation information.