Appointments and Referrals

Palliative care is appropriate for all ages (from birth to young adult) and at any stage of a serious illness. But we recommend requesting palliative care early in your child's illness.

How can I request a referral?

You can ask any member of your child's health care team for a palliative care consult. Tell your child's primary care or attending doctor, nurse or other caregivers that you are interested in having palliative care as an extra layer of support. Your child and family may receive palliative care services in the medical center, during clinic visits or through ongoing support at home.

If you would like to schedule an appointment, refer a patient or speak to our staff, please call our offices at 682-885-1116.

Virtual medicine and telehealth

Specialty care is now as close as your computer, laptop, cellphone or tablet. Cook Children's specialty clinic locations are equipped with cameras, microphones, TV monitors and specialized equipment that allows patient families to have consultations and exams without the expense of traveling to our main clinic. Telemedicine provides coordinated care and ease of access that patient families in outlying areas wouldn't have otherwise.

Based on the diagnosis, a patient may have to be seen in person for the first visit. Contact us at 682-885-1116 for information on our telemedicine services.

Insurance information

Cook Children's has contracts with the following health care insurance companies, and we are committed to growing this list. We want to be sure that every family and child in our community has the coverage they need to get and stay healthy.

Cook Children's contracted insurance plans

Did you know that Cook Children's also offers a health plan that may help you access the care you need? Learn more about Cook Children's Health Plan here.

MyCookChildren's patient portal

If your child has an upcoming appointment that requires forms and information to be completed or updated, you can now do so before your appointment, in your MyCookChildren's portal account.

Simply login to your child's MyCookChildren's account, select 'Visits' and then the green 'eCheck-In' icon for your child's upcoming appointment. From there, you can fill out the necessary forms needed. This process from start to finish should take less than 20 minutes and will shorten your time in our office. Please note: the forms and questionnaires are specific to who your appointment is with and what is needed for that type of appointment. Even if you recently updated forms, there may be new items to complete that are specific for this appointment.

Important phone numbers for referring physicians

Teddy Bear Transport – 1-682-885-3901 or 1-800-543-4878
Dodson Surgery Center – 682-885-1514
Surgery Center – Hurst – 817-605-2595
Pediatric Surgery Center - Plano – 972-300-0215
Home Health – 1-800-747-8242
Rehabilitation Services – 682-885-4063

Emergency referral/admission

For emergency referrals, call 1-682-885-3901 or 1-800-543-4878

Please have the following patient information ready:

Patient's name and date of birth
Reason for admission
Admission type, such as observation or inpatient
Special needs of patient, such as isolation or equipment
Patient's medical history

International referrals

Our highly skilled physicians cover more than 30 specialties and subspecialties, which allows your patients to receive outstanding care, all in one place. Our International Patient Services team will review each case and recommend the best treatment plan for a child visiting Cook Children's.

If you'd like to refer an international patient, need assistance or have questions, our staff is here to help at +1-682-885-INTL (+1-682-885-4685).

More information on international referrals to Cook Children's.

Quick reference guide and specialty contacts

For a listing of referral contacts by department you can view, download and/or print our quick reference contact guide by clicking here.