What does an end-of-life consultant actually do?

An end-of-life consultant helps patients and families understand medical situations, navigate complex healthcare systems, and make informed decisions during serious illness or as death approaches. At Informed Endings, that means translating clinical information into plain language, identifying gaps in care, advocating directly with your medical team, and ensuring your values and priorities shape the decisions made.

What is the difference between a death doula and what Veronica Phipps does?

A traditional end-of-life or death doula focuses on emotional and spiritual comfort. Veronica's practice builds on that foundation by adding clinical expertise. As a Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner and Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse (ACHPN) with nearly a decade of palliative care experience, she can monitor symptoms, interpret medical information, identify care gaps, and advocate directly with your care team as a clinical peer.

Do you accept insurance?

Informed Endings does not participate in or bill insurance, including Medicare or Medicaid. This allows Veronica to remain a neutral, third-party liaison dedicated solely to your interests, without institutional constraints. All services are invoiced through a secure digital portal.

When is the right time to seek end-of-life support?

Support is most effective when you don't wait for a crisis, but it's valuable at any stage — after a new diagnosis, when treatment goals change, during a confusing hospitalization, or as you or a loved one approaches end of life. You deserve clarity and support from the start, not just when things become unmanageable.

Do you offer virtual consultations?

Yes. While Veronica provides in-person support throughout the New York area, she works with clients nationwide through video and phone consultations. Distance does not limit her ability to help you understand test results, evaluate care options, or prepare for important medical conversations.

Is this the same as hospice care?

No. Hospice is a Medicare-funded program delivered by a clinical team under a physician's hospice order. Informed Endings is an independent consulting service that can help you understand whether hospice is the right option, how to enroll, what to expect, and how to advocate for your loved one's comfort within the hospice system. Veronica works alongside your hospice team, not in place of it.

Veronica Phipps, NP

Independent Patient Advocate & End-of-Life Consultant

I am a board-certified nurse practitioner with over a decade of clinical experience, specializing in inpatient palliative care and complex symptom management. My foundation was built through seven years of dedicated bedside care, where I learned that the most profound gift a clinician can offer is clarity during a medical crisis.

Wanting to offer more than symptom management alone, I moved from inpatient palliative care into preventative medicine and genomics. That shift gave me room to grow as a clinician and offer a more complete, whole-person approach—blending advanced science with the compassionate care I learned at the bedside. Outside the time pressures and institutional limits of hospital systems, I can now provide the unhurried, independent advocacy that patients and their loved ones truly need during critical moments.

I believe that a "good death" is rooted in informed choice. As your clinical navigator, I ensure that choice is possible by helping you truly understand the path ahead. Whether you need an expert to translate complex diagnostics or a professional advocate to protect your dignity within the medical system, my mission is to provide the clinical clarity and compassionate support you deserve.

A woman with a braid wearing a black sheer top with colorful floral embroidery, smiling on a beach at sunset.

Education & Fellowship Training

Columbia University School of Nursing | Master of Science in Nursing & Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | Palliative Care Fellowship Trained in Dual MD-NP Program

Clinical Training

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Complex oncological palliative care and end-of-life symptom management at a leading cancer center.
Atria Institute: Proactive medical navigation and longevity medicine in a high-touch concierge practice.
Mount Sinai Health System: Inpatient palliative care and outpatient precision genomic medicine in a major urban hospital system.

Board Certifications

AGACNP-BC: Board Certified Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
ACHPN: Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse

Why It Matters

Translating complex diagnoses and clinical notes into plain language, so you can better evaluate how your medical decisions affect your comfort and daily life.
Care plans that are built beyond medical protocols, to incorporate your non-negotiables and what matters most to you
Guided your decisions with evidence-based information, especially when considering palliative or hospice care.
Acting as a neutral party in aligning your loved ones, care team and your voice so your wishes are clearly understood and honored.

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