Diverse demographics of hospital patients, such as drug rehabilitation and post-anesthesia patients need constant monitoring of vital signs during recovery. Current detection methods require bulky monitors and wires which need to be disconnected when the patient moves about the hospital. Our innovative solution is to wirelessly monitor patient vital signs with a system integrated into a hospital gown, creating a “smart gown”. The smart gown consists of electronic circuit to filter and wirelessly transmit signals, acquired from the electrocardiogram (ECG) electrodes woven into the gown and held to the skin by elastic bands, to a computer at a nurses’ station. In addition, the ECG and respiratory rate analysis software provides audible and visual alarms when a vital sign falls outside of a programmable safe range.