Referring a patient to a hospitality house
For social workers, nurse navigators, care coordinators, and anyone else who helps a family find a place to stay during treatment. Healthcare Hospitality Network is the national association of nonprofit hospitality houses near hospitals and treatment centers.
Three steps, usually the same day
Find a house near your hospital
Search the HHN directory by city, hospital, or state. Each listing has the house's phone number, website, and a note on who they serve.
Contact the house directly
Most houses take referrals by phone or through a short form on their website. Houses set their own intake, so the house is the final word on eligibility and availability.
Confirm with the family
Give the family the house's name, address, and phone number, and tell them what the house will ask for at check-in. Our free guides can help them prepare.
Have this ready when you call
- Patient's name and the treating hospital or clinic
- Expected arrival date and how long the stay may last
- Who will be staying: the patient, a caregiver, or both
- A phone number for the caregiver or family contact
- Any mobility, dietary, or medical needs the house should know about
- Whether the family has a car or will need help getting to appointments
A few things worth knowing
Most houses require a permanent home address and a referral from the treating hospital. Houses are not emergency or long-term housing. Transportation, meals, and getting to appointments are usually the guest's responsibility, though many houses help where they can. Every house sets its own policies, so when in doubt, ask the house.
Find a house near your hospital
Hospitality houses across the country, searchable by city, hospital, or state, with contact details and a link to each house's own website.
If the patient is a veteran or service member
Two programs are worth checking before anything else. Both are free to the family, and both start with a call inside the VA or military system.
Fisher House
fisherhouse.orgFree lodging on the grounds of VA and military medical centers for families of patients receiving care there. Referrals go through the facility's social worker or the Fisher House manager. When a house is full or there isn't one nearby, Fisher House Foundation's Hotels for Heroes program may cover a hotel stay instead.
VA Beneficiary Travel
va.govEligible veterans can be reimbursed for travel to and from VA care, and in some cases for lodging and meals. The patient's VA social worker or travel office can confirm eligibility and help with the claim.
HHN also has a free guide for veterans and military families that covers these programs in plain language. Get the guide
Printables for your unit
Free to print and share. No sign-up.
A Place to Stay Near the Hospital
A one-page explainer for families: what a hospitality house is, who can stay, what it costs, and how to get a referral. Hand it to a patient or family member at the moment lodging comes up.
DownloadDesk card for the nurses' station
A half-page card with the three referral steps and the directory address, sized to sit by a phone or tape inside a cabinet door.
DownloadWhen there's no house nearby
Hospitality houses don't cover every city yet. If the directory comes up empty for your area, these are the next calls to make.
Ronald McDonald House Charities
rmhc.orgLodging near children's hospitals for families of pediatric patients. Eligibility varies by house; most take referrals from the hospital's social work team.
Joe's House
joeshouse.orgA nonprofit guide to lodging near treatment centers, including hotel programs and extended-stay discounts.
Ask the hospital
Many hospitals keep their own list of hotel discounts and lodging partners. Social work or patient services usually has it.
We're glad to help you find the right fit.
HHN doesn't run houses or place patients, but we know the network and can point you toward the house most likely to say yes.
Email info@hhnetwork.org