Disclaimer: Westlake Village Hospice Inc. is a licensed and Medicare-certified hospice care provider. We do not sell, prescribe, dispense, or ship prescription medications, and we do not operate an online pharmacy or telemedicine prescribing service. All hospice services are provided in person by licensed healthcare professionals. Any references to Medicare coverage, medication support, or medical coordination relate solely to patient care delivered under physician direction and do not constitute prescription drug sales or online medical services.
Refer a Patient to Westlake Village Hospice
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Who Can Make a Referral?
Referrals to Westlake Village Hospice can come from any source — a physician, a hospital discharge planner, a social worker, a family member, or even the patient themselves. There is no gate and no waiting list. Our admissions team is available 24/7 to accept referrals and schedule a free, no-obligation evaluation within hours.
- Oncologists & primary care physicians
- Hospital & skilled nursing facility discharge planners
- Social workers & case managers
- Family members acting on behalf of a loved one
- Patients who want to self-refer
What Happens After You Submit?
Same-Day Call
Our admissions coordinator will contact you within a few hours to gather initial information and answer questions.
Free Clinical Evaluation
A registered nurse visits the patient at home (or in a facility) to assess eligibility and discuss goals of care — at no cost.
Enrollment & Care Start
Once the patient and physician agree, care can begin the same day. Equipment is delivered immediately and the care team is activated.
Referring a Patient to Hospice: What Every Healthcare Professional and Family Should Know
Research consistently shows that patients referred to hospice care earlier in the disease course live longer, experience significantly less pain, express higher satisfaction with their care, and report better quality of life in their final months — compared to patients who receive aggressive curative treatment until very near the end of life. Yet the national median length of hospice enrollment remains between 15 and 17 days: far shorter than what most patients and families need to receive the full benefit of hospice support.
The single most common reason families report delaying hospice is not unwillingness — it is the mistaken belief that hospice is only for the very final days of life. Physicians, discharge planners, social workers, and family members are in a unique position to help correct this misunderstanding by making timely referrals.
At Westlake Village Hospice, we remove every administrative barrier from the referral process. A referral to our agency takes one phone call or one completed form submission. Our admissions team responds within hours — often the same hour — and handles everything from insurance verification to physician order procurement to equipment delivery.
Who Refers Patients to Westlake Village Hospice?
Hospital Discharge Planners & Social Workers
Discharge planners at acute care hospitals are our most frequent referral source. When a patient with a terminal diagnosis is ready to leave the hospital and goals of care have shifted to comfort, a hospice referral is the appropriate next step. Our team can meet with the patient and family at the bedside before discharge to complete enrollment paperwork.
Oncologists & Specialty Physicians
Cancer patients are referred by oncologists when chemotherapy or radiation is no longer achieving meaningful results. Other specialty physicians — cardiologists, pulmonologists, nephrologists — make referrals for patients with end-stage heart failure, COPD, and renal disease. A physician order from the patient's referring MD is required; we obtain this on your behalf.
Primary Care Physicians
PCPs are ideally positioned to initiate the hospice conversation with their long-term patients. They often know the patient's values, family dynamics, and prognosis better than any specialist. We work closely with PCPs as the 'attending physician of record' to ensure the care plan aligns with the patient's established care goals.
Skilled Nursing & Assisted Living Facilities
When a resident of a skilled nursing facility (SNF) or assisted living community (ALF) reaches the point where curative interventions are no longer appropriate, the facility's director of nursing or social worker can call us directly. We coordinate with the facility to establish a hospice protocol without disrupting the patient's existing residential care.
Family Members & Patients
Any family member or patient can self-refer. We guide families through the clinical screening process and connect them with their physician to formally initiate the certification. If you believe your loved one may qualify and your physician hasn't brought it up, calling us is always the right move — we will work alongside your family's existing medical team.
Home Health Agencies
Home health nurses and physical therapists who observe declining functional status can flag patients who may be approaching hospice eligibility. When the patient's trajectory shifts from rehabilitation to comfort, a coordinated referral ensures a smooth transition without a gap in services.
Common Terminal Diagnoses for Hospice Referral
Hospice is appropriate for any diagnosis with a prognosis of six months or less if the illness runs its normal course. Common diagnoses include:
Referral Process — Frequently Asked Questions
What information do I need when calling to refer a hospice patient?
When making a referral call, it is helpful to have: the patient's full name and date of birth, their current location (home address, hospital room, or facility name), the name of the referring physician and their contact information, primary diagnosis and any secondary diagnoses, current insurance (Medicare Part A, Medi-Cal, or private insurance), and a brief description of the patient's current symptoms or condition. You do not need all of this information before calling — our admissions coordinator can gather details during the intake conversation.
How quickly will a referred patient be seen?
Same-day response is our standard. For patients being discharged from a hospital, we can coordinate a same-day or next-day home visit. For patients already at home who are stable, we typically schedule the initial clinical evaluation within 24 hours. For urgent situations where a patient is in active distress, our RN can be dispatched within 1–2 hours. We are available 24/7 for urgent referrals.
Does a physician order need to accompany the referral?
A formal physician order is required before hospice enrollment can be finalized, but it does not need to accompany the referral. Our admissions team contacts the referring physician (or the patient's primary care physician) to obtain the hospice order as part of our standard process. Families and non-physician sources (social workers, discharge planners, patients themselves) can refer before a physician order is in place — we handle that step.
Can a patient self-refer to hospice?
Yes. Any person who believes they or a loved one may qualify for hospice can call us directly, without a physician referral in hand. Our intake coordinator will ask a few clinical screening questions to assess likely eligibility. If the patient appears to qualify, we contact their physician to initiate the formal certification process. Self-referral is common and fully appropriate.
Make a Referral Right Now
Our admissions line is staffed 24/7. One call is all it takes — we respond within hours.
Call 818-791-2325 — Admissions Direct Line