A
wireless network (2, 150) for monitoring a patient includes a body sensor network (22, 24, 26, 172, 174, 176) that includes one or more
wireless sensors (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170) operatively connected to the patient that collect and transfer information related to the patient's health to the
wireless network (2, 150). A set-up
server (4, 154) configures the one or more wireless sensors (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170) with
keying material before the one or more sensors (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170) are deployed to the
wireless network (2, 150). A
base station (178, 180) distributes a key
certificate to the one or more sensors (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170) associated with the body sensor network (22, 24, 26, 172, 174, 176), such that two sensors generate a unique
pairwise key based at least in part upon the pre-distributed
keying material and the key
certificate distributed by the
base station (178, 180).