A nurse guides an elderly woman across a room. The older woman has long, white hair that is in a ponytail and a gray striped shirt. The nurse wears scrubs.

A nurse wearing purple scrubs helps a woman.

UPMC Hospice Services

UPMC hospice teams offer expert, compassionate treatment during the end-of-life period.

We tailor our hospice services to each person's needs and wishes.

What Is Hospice Care?

Hospice:

Provides specialized care for patients and families through the last phase of life, addressing their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
Shifts treatment from curative care to symptom management, comfort care, and enhancing quality of life.

Our team gives care where the person lives, whether:

Home.
Hospital.
Inpatient hospice units.
Skilled nursing homes.
Assisted living and personal care facilities.

For Professionals

Use this tool to determine if your patient may be eligible for hospice services.

Hospice Eligibility Guide (PDF)

UPMC Hospice Services

Expert care provided by the hospice team for symptoms including pain, nausea, shortness of breath, and anxiety.
Medication management.
Emotional and spiritual counseling for the person and family.

Physical, occupational, and speech therapy for safety.
Nutrition counseling.
Grief counseling and programs for the family.
Medical equipment and supplies to manage safely at home.

Why Choose UPMC Hospice?

UPMC Hospice:

Is a non-profit.
Has the largest network of hospice agencies in Pennsylvania.
Is part of UPMC's integrated health care delivery system. This allows a seamless transition between home health care and hospice services.

The Hospice Care Team

It involves a dedicated team of:

Nurses.
Home health aides.
Social workers.
Hospice medical directors.
Spiritual care counselors.

Physical, occupational, and speech therapists.
Dieticians.
Grief counselors.
Volunteers.

Hospice Frequently Asked Questions

When is the right time for hospice care?

Our hospice program is for people in the advanced stages of a life-limiting illness.

You might think about hospice care when:

Treatment aims to ease symptoms rather than cure the disease.
You measure life expectancy in months rather than years.
When the burden of life-prolonging treatment outweighs the benefits.

Where does UPMC provide hospice care?

We offer hospice care wherever the person in need calls home. This includes private homes and care facilities.

You can also get short-term hospice care in a hospital or an inpatient hospice center.

Who can request hospice services?

Anyone can ask for UPMC hospice services.

This includes:

The person with a life-limiting illness.
Family members and loved ones.
Doctors.
A personal care or nursing home.
Hospital social service departments.

How can I get hospice care?

UPMC offers hospice services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Call one of our hospice teams for more details.

Who pays for hospice care?

Hospice care is a benefit under:

Medicare.
Medical assistance.
Other health insurance payers.

Needs and services related to the hospice diagnosis covered by this benefit may include:

Medications for symptom management.
Medical equipment and supplies.
Short-term general inpatient care and respite care.
Laboratory services.

UPMC hospice accepts most third-party payers.

Find a UPMC hospice provider in your region