Yes. Your family can call hospice directly, without the doctor, and anyone can make the call: a spouse, a daughter or son, a friend, or the patient themselves. A doctor’s referral is not required to start the conversation, ask questions, or request an evaluation. When you call Seasons Hospice, we listen to your loved one’s situation, explain what care would look like, and if you want to move forward, we contact the physician ourselves to request the certification that hospice care requires.
Many families in Tulsa are surprised how simple this is: one phone call from a family member is often exactly how care begins.
What does the doctor actually have to do?
Federal rules require a physician to certify that the illness is terminal with a life expectancy of six months or less, as outlined in Medicare’s hospice coverage rules. That is a signature and a clinical judgment, not a gatekeeping process, and the hospice handles the request, the paperwork, and the follow-up with the doctor’s office.
What if the doctor hasn’t mentioned hospice?
Doctors sometimes wait for families to raise it. You are allowed to bring it up first, and you are allowed to call a hospice before that conversation ever happens. If it helps, our team can even suggest how to open the topic at the next appointment, or speak with the physician’s office directly with your permission.
What if the doctor disagrees?
You can ask for a hospice evaluation anyway. The hospice medical director can review the case, and a second opinion is always your right. Hospices also serve patients whose attending physician is the hospice’s own doctor, so a hesitant physician is rarely a dead end.
What happens after the first call?
We answer questions, verify coverage for free, contact the doctor, and schedule an admission visit, often within 24 to 48 hours. You do not need anything figured out before dialing.
What happens when you call hospice
Anyone can call a hospice directly: a spouse, a daughter or son, a friend, or the patient. After the call, the hospice answers questions, verifies coverage for free, contacts the physician for the certification that hospice care requires, and schedules an admission visit, often within 24 to 48 hours. The physician only has to certify that the illness is terminal with a life expectancy of six months or less, and the hospice handles the request and the paperwork.
| Step | What happens | Who handles it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The call | A spouse, a daughter or son, a friend, or the patient phones the hospice | The family |
| 2. Coverage check | Coverage is verified for free | The hospice |
| 3. Certification | A physician certifies a terminal illness with a life expectancy of six months or less | The hospice requests it and manages the paperwork |
| 4. Admission visit | A visit is scheduled, often within 24 to 48 hours | The hospice |
One call starts everything in Tulsa, OK
Since 1998, most Seasons Hospice journeys have begun not with a physician’s order but with a worried family member and a phone. We will take it from there. Contact us today or call (918) 745-0222.