Program frees up hospital beds by sending some COVID-19 patients home Monitoring at-home COVID-19 patients By Abbey Buttacavoli | January 27, 2021 at 6:00 AM EST - Updated January 27 at 7:11 AM WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWNY) - For some COVID-19 patients treated at Samaritan Medical Center, a follow-up appointment might be just a phone call with a physician. It’s a pilot program where patients with less severe cases of COVID-19 can be monitored for worsening conditions from home. “At least 15 to 20 patients have been a part of this program so far,” Dr. Benjamin Rudd said. “Of that, two patients have called and have gotten sicker, and come back, and ended up admitted to the hospital.”