For Patients & Visitors       • For Physicians       • For Employees
St. Anthony”s Medical Center: Advanced Medicine. Compassionate Care.

printer iconprint page

Hospice Services

A Life Journey

Gerald and lorraine Dreifke look over a memory album of Gerald's brother, Don.

“I felt so much gratitude for what they did for my brother, Don, and the staff was so wonderful,” says 90-year old Gerald Dreifke. Finding a home-like medical facility that could care for his terminally ill brother during the last months of his life was a blessing.

At St. Anthony’s Fern and Russell F. de Greff Hospice House, Dreifke’s brother was able to receive around-the-clock medical care, peace and compassion. “We could see the highest possible standards of service and character and care here,” Driefke says. “It impacted us greatly.”

The Hospice House is the only freestanding inpatient facility in the region to provide end-of-life care. It serves up to 20 patients at any given time. Support services also are provided to family members. Dreifke and his wife were so impressed with the care, they made a generous donation through St. Anthony’s Charitable Foundation in honor of Dreifke’s brother.

St. Anthony's Hospice primary focus is to provide relief from suffering through pain and symptom management, and emotional and spiritual support to thoseat the end of life. These services also include support structures for family members. St. Anthony's Hospice program respects that everyone faces death in their own way and provides a safe and caring environment for those in need.

Hospice Staff & Services

Medical and support services are provided to patients and families by a coordinated, interdisciplinary team of highly skilled and dedicated people working from one plan of care. The program includes:

Admission Criteria

  • Referral by a physician, family member, friend or the patient
  • Terminal illness with a prognosis of six months or less

Reimbursement & Insurance

St. Anthony's Hospice is a nonprofit program for comprehensive end-of-life care for all individuals without regard to race, religion or financial situation. Hospice care is available to all individuals living with a terminal illness, regardless of their ability to pay.

Hospice care is paid for by:

  • Medicare and Medicaid (See "Medicare Basics" online booklet)
  • Most private insurance companies
  • Funding is available to help patients who are uninsured or underinsured

Service Area

St. Anthony's Hospice serves St. Louis City as well as St. Louis, St. Charles, Jefferson, Franklin, Gasconade, St. Genevieve, Montgomery, St. Francois, Washington and Crawford counties. While the majority of our patients remain at home, some reside in nursing homes or St. Anthony's de Greeff Hospice House


St. Anthony's Medical Center: graphic wave

For information, please call our Health Access Line at 314-ANTHONY (268-4669) or 800-554-9550 or visit our find a physician online.

At St. Anthony's, our vision is to be the area's premier health care organization — and your first choice for health care services.