When treatment is no longer effective or appropriate, Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester focuses on providing the best quality of life possible. You will continue as the patient’s primary physician. You can stay closely involved in your patient’s care and be kept informed of their status.

When to refer someone to Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester
When you have a patient with a life-limiting illness or condition, the patient is no longer receiving curative treatment and there is a life expectancy of 6 months.

How to refer a patient to Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester
When making a referral, please mention Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester to your patient. You may also contact our Intake Coordinator at 914-682-1484 ext. 132.

Early referral greatly enhances the effectiveness of the Hospice team by providing ample time to address both the physical needs of the patient and the practical, emotional and spiritual needs of the entire family. Consistently we often hear the comment: “I wish we had known about Hospice much sooner.” To facilitate transfer to Hospice, our patient care coordinators and admissions team work closely with the referring physician and staff. We are also available to meet with patients and families to introduce Hospice services and the philosophy.

To enhance continuity of care, we encourage physicians to oversee their patient's Hospice care. The attending physician is eligible for Medicare reimbursement related to care plan oversight and bills for services as usual. The patient's physician may develop the plan of care and approve updates, attend Hospice team meetings if desired and may request the Hospice Medical Director to offer professional consultation. Only the attending physician and Hospice may bill Medicare for services relating to the terminal illness.