user to perform the same functions that a user using the user interface 316 on the instrument 104 can perform thus a remote user can for instance view a snapshot of the instrument screen display review patient or quality control results review the instrument 39 s status enable or disable analysis enable or disable operator access lock the instrument calibrate the instrument 104 and post a message on the instrument 104 continuing to refer to fig3 and as described above with reference to fig1 each instrument 104 comprises a communications module 124 to facilitate inter instrument communication in some embodiments the communications module 124 is an internal component of the instrument 104 that i e an internal wireless network interface card transponder or other signal generating device in other embodiments the communications module 124 is an external device that for example can be periodically connected to the instruments 104 via an interface 328 fig4 is a flow diagram of the steps performed for configuring the instruments 104 of fig1 according to an illustrative embodiment of the invention the instruments 104 in the illustrative embodiment are connected to the network 116 so that each instrument 104 is in direct communication with one or more.