Referral Guidelines for Palliative Care

Palliative Care of the Carolina Foothills will be happy to consult with patients who are referred by their attending medical provider (physician or nurse practitioner). To make a referral to Palliative Care, call 828.894.7016 or 800.617.7132, fax to 828.894.2675, or email pcare@hocf.org.

We can help the most with patients who have some of these characteristics:

• Major medical comorbitities (major illnesses)
• Examples include function limiting heart disease, COPD, dementia, Parkinsonism, cancer, cerebrovascular disease and many others
• Unrelieved physical symptoms either due to the patient’s disease or its treatment
• Such as pain, dyspnea, nausea, weakness, anxiety, depression, constipation, etc.
• Unrelieved spiritual, emotional or social pain
• Recent hospitalization(s) for major medical illness or frequent ED visits for decompensated medical status
• Dependent in some or all activities of daily living
• Life expectancy of 2 years or less
  i.e. "Would you be surprised if this patient died within the next 2 years?"
• Need for patient and family education about the patients medical condition/prognosis, assistance with advance care planning, or psychological support